Sammy’s spirit lives on
One final time, family and friends paid tribute to and retold funny stories about Sammy Lee, the renowned Olympic gold-medal-winning diver at the Town and Gown building at USC on Saturday. But I have a strong feeling this won’t be the last time we all remember the greatness of Sammy.
It’s safe to say he lived a full life, 96 years, an adorable, loving wife, two children and three grandchildren as part of an extraordinary legacy.
He was an inspiration to many and showed how to overcome great odds, becoming a U.S. Olympic champion despite racism. To me he was Dr. Sammy Lee, the little man who showed up to the Irrelevant Week’s main event, the Lowsman Trophy banquet, and knew how to make everyone laugh.
Melanie Salata Fitch, the CEO of Irrelevant Week and the daughter of the creator of the event Paul Salata, spoke during Sammy’s celebration of life. Mel was happy to provide some of those funny stories, and to also give background about a strong friendship between Paul and Sammy.
They attended the same high school in Los Angeles, Franklin of Highland Park, Sammy graduating a few years before Paul. Sammy was the Associated Student Body president and Paul likes to think Sammy paved the way for him to also be a minority, a Serbian, to become an ASB president at Franklin.
Paul enjoyed watching Sammy compete in gymnastics in high school, and Sammy also watched Paul play football. They both have USC connections, Paul played football there and Sammy earned his medical degree there and later became a ear, nose, throat doctor and worked in Orange County.
Paul achieved greatness, playing in the NFL and later gaining success with Irrelevant Week, and he always admired his friend’s achievements, winning two Olympic gold medals and adding pride to their favorite university: USC.
Sammy, who died of pneumonia at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach last month, stood at just 5-foot-1, but he was a big man when you consider all that he achieved, his love for his wife and his devotion to his family.
He was named to the USC Sports Hall of Fame, the International Swimming Hall of Fame and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. He has a L.A. Unified School District school and a street corner in Koreatown named after him. On the USC campus, the diving tower bears his name.
A few Franklin students and the school’s principal attended Sammy’s celebration of life. Regina Marquez Martinez, the Franklin principal, said the ASB officers have petitioned that the school’s football stadium be named after Sammy.
In addition to Mel, Olympic champion divers Pat McCormick and Bob Webster also spoke at Sammy’s celebration of life. Sammy was also a great coach and mentor, who made a big impact on Greg Louganis, who was also in attendance.
John Naber, a U.S. Olympic swim champion, served as the master of ceremony for Saturday’s event. He displayed a strong reverence and respect for Sammy and that was shown throughout the program.
“His greatest joy seemed to be making other people happy,” Naber said of Sammy. “Sammy may have been small in stature but he leaves behind a huge legacy of an individual with charm, and love, and joy, can accomplish his dreams and can help change the world for the better.”
