mailbox / By North Coast Journal Readers

Sam

(Jan. 8, 2009)  Editor:

I want to thank you again for last week’s article about Sam Price (“Saving Sam,” Dec. 25). I agree with Jessie Brownlee’s comment that we all could have done more. We are all in some ways responsible, but I also want to say that I think that she did find support and safety here — just not enough to get her through. 

I want to thank the women of the Emma Center, who made such a difference to her, all her friends from there and WSP and Friends of the Dunes and Audubon, and particularly Thor and Elaine for helping to get her here and making her feel safe enough to stay a while and try to live. I wish we could have done better, and I wish we lived in world where kids weren’t abused or at least where there were more resources for people trying to recover. But I’m grateful to have had Sam in my life and I hope we can all learn something from her — about caring for our friends, our community and people we don’t even know, as well as the amazing planet we live on and all the beings in it.

— Sue Hilton, Arcata

Sweet Spot: Sue Hilton wins a Bon Boniere sundae for sending our favorite letter of the week.

Editor:

I was moved by the article “Saving Sam,” which describes the life and too-early death of Sarah Jane “Sam” Price. What a tragic loss of a beautiful young woman, who, from the descriptions of her friends, colleagues and family, was bright and talented. However, she suffered from (at the very least) major depression and, in spite of her very positive qualities, felt like a “loser.” I am also responding to the letter from Meighan O’Brien (“Mailbox,” Jan. 1), who writes that medications merely “mask authentic feelings.” I am concerned that people may have a negative impression of all anti-depressant medications. While side-effects can be part of any medication, and all prescriptions can be misused/abused, I have seen the benefits of a combination of medications and psychotherapy for those with major depression. 

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