An Untold Story of Redemption

About Sam Fallie

An Untold Story of Redemption

Sam Fallie, a talented musician and writer, reached a high level of success through the years, but did not get there easily. In fact, one could say he came from “deaths door”. Sam’s childhood story is heartbreaking. His parents left him as a young child. Sam recalls his father dropping him off at a family member’s house and he never saw him again. He was shuffled around to various family members who never showed much concern for him. To say the least, Sam felt unloved ad unwanted as a child. He had more alone time that any child should have to endure. During his solitude Sam learned he had a gift of singing, writing songs, and entertaining. After all, he always had to entertain himself because he had no one else who cared to be with him.

When he got older, Sam found adventure and happiness through football, choir and his friends at school. This adventure, combined with the deep-rooted feelings of being unloved, were key ingredients for the perfect storm. This storm hurt many opportunities and people in its path. It was at this time that the game changed. As many youths do, Sam followed the influence of his friends and began smoking weed. His drug usage then spiraled out of control. Sam started using cocaine which then led to crack. Before long he was addicted to crack cocaine. As Sam said, “I was that typical homeless crackhead you see”. To fund his addiction, Sam did things that lead to him being incarcerated off-and-on for the next 10 years. Each time he was released Sam always felt the craving and ultimately returned to his addiction. Life for Mr. Fallie became a vicious cycle of dodging bullets and running for his life. With music being his passion during Sam’s addiction he would write and sing to entertain himself. Music was his gift, but crack was his demise. After several attempts at sobriety, and 5 rehabs, he began to see how the addiction had turned him into someone he hated. He felt death was a better reality than feeling the pain he had caused to his children and others. Sam felt life was not worth living anymore so he decided to end it. He wrote suicide letters to those important to him. After an unsuccessful suicide attempt Sam called “Ms. Clara”. What she said next would change the rest of his life.

“You can’t do that. God has the power, and you have a purpose”, Ms. Clara said. As she continued speaking something was awakened deep within Sam. He had hit “rock bottom” and now something was coming alive in his soul. She was speaking life back into him. For the first time in his life Sam began to feel a “willpower”, for change. He had never felt willpower to surrender his addiction and reach for help. Sam felt he had one of two options; either live and get help or die.

He chose to live. He went back to rehab, but this time he wanted it. He was desperate for life and willing to lay everything down and make a change. While in rehab, he learned a lot about himself. In fact, as he grew in his sobriety, he discovered a gift of helping others. In 2001, he officially “sobered up” and started enjoying life on clearer terms. After completing the rehab program, it was time to go home. Now he had to go home, back to the place he