Cape Kid of the Month: Sami Saunders

Cape Kid
/kāp/ /kid/
noun

1. A young person who embodies what it means to Wear the Cape and be Better Than That.
2. A youth who chooses to be an everyday hero by doing what’s right, not what’s easy.

We’re excited for the start of something good – and new! From here on out, we’ll be spotlighting a Cape Kid every month. Today we have the privilege of recognizing stand-out Sami Saunders, a 14-year old girl from Warren Township, New Jersey, for her heroic actions this past summer.

As a Camp Pontiac cabin in upstate New York nearly burned to the ground with 27 campers sleeping soundly inside, Sami demonstrated cool-headedness and quick thinking far beyond her years in the midst of a life-threatening emergency. When Sami woke up and noticed that her fan had turned off, she looked up to find the horrifying sight of flames engulfing the ceiling and wall of her cabin. Sami took action.  She wisely realized that there was not enough time to rouse her camp counselor and took matters into her own hands, alerting her fellow campers of the emergency – a decision that saved the lives of 26 young girls. It was just a few short moments after the campers evacuated that the roof of the cabin collapsed upon the abandoned bunks. David Proper, chief of the Copake Fire Department, stated that it was a “miracle that no one was injured,” and praised Sami’s ability to stay calm in the face of danger and act for the benefit of others.

Fellow campers and their families have shown Sami great thanks and recognition for her actions that night, yet Sami has once again shown her maturity—this time through her humility—by playing it up to chance: “It’s kind of weird having people come up to me, thanking me and everything, but I really just woke up and saw it.”

A blessing it was that Sami woke up in time to act. But her actions also serve as a perfect example of what it means to be a hero. Doing what she did amidst a level of danger typically only seen in movies speaks volumes of Sami’s character – being a hero isn’t only about doing good for others when the time is right or when it’s easy to lend a hand.

Sami’s actions, while providing an immeasurable benefit to the lives of her cabin mates and their loved ones, can also make an impression on ours.  They serve as a profound reminder that you’ll never know when a situation may arise for you to step up, Wear the Cape, and be a hero. But we don’t have to wait for a fire; every day you can ask yourself: what can I do TODAY to be a hero, however big or small?

Your maturity and selflessness are inspiring, Sami! May we all Wear the Cape, just like you.

Please send your suggestions for “Cape Kid of the Month” to leighann@wearthecapekids.com.