Sammy: Hero At Age Five

by Mary L. Schmidt

 "Kids can get hungry sometimes while on chemo," says five-year-old Sammy, having a good day despite the malignant tumor invading his brain. Based on true events from the 1980s, Sammy's story is imagined by his mother and brother as if the young boy might tell it himself. The result is gripping. Told in two parts, Sammy's account first invites us into the everyday middle-American lives of a mom and her two boys. Sammy is a sweet, good-hearted kid, even as he faces the most difficult challenges in Part 2: "Cancer Arrived." Here Sammy talks us through hospital trips and procedures, the hardest parts as well as moments of simple joy. It is not always possible to survive such a grim diagnosis, so Sammy and his family must embrace the smaller victories from one day to the next. Finally, our young hero is given one last opportunity to find his own unique path toward triumph. Listen closely as Sammy tells us all what matters most.



Sammy, born the day before Easter in 1985, lived with his mother and brother Gene in a small town in Kansas. He lived the normal life of a little boy - riding his big wheels, playing with trucks, and running in the backyard. He loved the homegrown vegetables from his mother's and Slim's gardens. Slim was the man who lived next door and was like a member of the family. Then cancer arrived, changing their lives forever. Sammy shares the ups and downs of painful, scary treatments. He and his mother spent week after week in the children's oncology unit at the hospital, several hours from home. Sammy was observant and knew when his mother had been praying or crying. He also became aware of Jesus' presence and His help during difficult times. In the memoir, Hero At Age Five, written by his mother and brother, M. Schmidt and G. D. Donley, the sad journey peppered with many joyful moments is shared.



One of the most intriguing aspects of this true-life story is that it is told from Sammy's point of view. While written in the language of a five-year-old boy, the messages within his words are truly profound. The thoughts fit a little boy's world - excitement in eating a Popsicle; hoping his mother will marry again, and he will have a new father; a wish to go to Disney World. The writing is clear and concise, and the photographs add to the realistic nature of the story. M. Schmidt and G. D. Donley shared their story to help other children and families facing these kinds of diagnoses in this memoir. This is a touching and unforgettable book!



"Written from the point of view of a five year old little boy... both funny and sad are moments that all children fighting cancer, their siblings, and their parents should read."



"The antics of Sam and his big brother, Gene, are funny and scary at times, but they are real-real-life events and situations. A must read!"



"All children who suffer from cancer and their families could benefit from, and relate to, this short story. Highly recommended and five stars all the way."



"This story was written in such a way that it really feels like there is a five-year-old boy telling it to you, which makes it all the more heartbreaking."

85 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 23, 2025

About the author

Mary L. Schmidt is a multi-hyphenate and writes under her given name and a pen name, S. Jackson, along with her husband Michael, pen name A Raymond. She grew up in a small Kansas (USA) town and has lived in more than one state since then. At this time, Mary and her husband split their time between homes in Kansas and Colorado as they love the mountains and off road four-wheeling. Traveling is one of their most favorite things to do and Mary always has a book to read on her Kindle. Books are one of her favorite things. When she was younger, it seemed like every time she turned around, a new library card was needed due to the current one being stamped complete. Diving into a good book made any day perfect and you would be surprised at the number of books she read over and over. Mary has written 48 books thus far, and they range from art book, recipe book, children's books, several memoirs, and romance books. As a child, Mary drew paper dolls, and clothes for them, using watercolor as her medium when painting scenes, especially flowers. She continued with art in high school exploring a wide variety of mediums such as jewelry making, ceramics, leather works, drawing, painting and more! Her creative loves to be an amateur shutterbug and she has an online art gallery. In college, she went into the sciences, and received a bachelor's degree in the Science of Nursing. Throughout her nursing career, Michael assisted Mary in her work with The American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, Cub and Boy Scouts, and sponsored children alongside his wife on music trips. Mary's nursing career was highly successful, and she hung up her nursing hat in December 2012. Mary and Michael love to read, fish, play poker, go Jeeping, and travel, especially to visit their grandson, Austin, and granddaughter, Emma. She has written 62 books with more in various stages.