Remembering Sami

Hi, my name is Mandi and I am the sister of Sami Pickens. Surrounded by loving family and dedicated friends, Sami received her angel wings at Haven Hospice, Gainesville, FL on Friday, May 26, 2023. Sami had that infectious smile and ability to draw people to her no matter the situation. She brightened every room with her presence. If you knew Sami, you loved Sami. She didn’t have to work for it. She had the natural ability to be real and genuine, always honest, and straight forward with her thoughts and beliefs. Sami wasn’t afraid to tell you how much she loved Jesus, as she reminded us of many times during her illness. She had a kind and generous heart, often stopping to give to those begging at the corner (against Justin’s wishes due to his protective nature). Sami was a natural born leader and inspired those around her to be a better person. She never found a project too overwhelming or challenging. She pushed herself to be the best version of herself each day. Whether it was a professional program that she developed, a workout she was conquering, a bible study she was enjoying, or precious moments spent with Justin and Lyla, she did it with complete enthusiasm and focus.

At the age of 28, Sami was driving home from work when she got the phone call that the biopsy came back as invasive ductal breast cancer. Shortly after the diagnosis, she underwent a double mastectomy for her Stage 1 cancer because of her BRCA 1 gene mutation. Her team decided that was a very aggressive approach and she would be good to go. Not even a year later (286 days to be exact) she was diagnosed with a local recurrence again at stage 1. She underwent a partial mastectomy, chemo and radiation. She had an amazing 2 years getting back into her new normal and trying not to let every ache, pain and checkup get the best of her. Life after a cancer diagnosis is no joke. Things got scary again fast after she got pregnant with her miracle baby, Lyla, (a pregnancy the Dr’s said couldn’t happen due to hormone blockers and chemo Sami had been on since her first diagnosis in 2019). She was admitted to the ICU with a collapsed lung, quickly learning that her cancer was back at age 31. This time it had metastasized to her lungs, liver, and bone. She underwent more chemo this time with the cocktail that most call the “Red Devil”, but I told my sister we will call it “Jesus wine” because the devil has no place in your story!

Sami and Justin never asked for financial help through all her cancer battles. They were such a strong unit and always planned to make everything work. Many people have reached out and asked if there is going to be a fund for Lyla to help with her future. So, after much begging and pleading from me, Justin has agreed to accept money and put it away for Lyla's College Education and anything he sees she may need. We will always surround Lyla with so much love and be sure she knows who her mama is and just how amazing she was.