April 8, 2025 • 9 mins
💔 In Loving Memory Sergeant Sammy
It’s with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our beloved little mate, Sammy.
Sammy captured all of our hearts last year when he joined us on the show, bravely battling an inoperable brain tumour. His dream was to one day become a police officer — a dream we were lucky enough to help make come true with a special day he’ll always be remembered for.
He was cheeky, courageous, and full of heart. A true little hero who brought light to everyone who met him.
Our love and deepest condolences are with his mum Ali, his family and all who loved him. Rest easy, Sergeant Sammy, our boy in blue. 🤍💙
Hayley & Max x
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Some terrible news to wake up to this morning.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Our man, Sergeant Sammy Scully, who we had a lot
to do with on this show last year, has unfortunately
passed away overnight. It was an inoperable brain Timber. We
knew this day was coming there originally said with Sammy.
He's diagnosed back in twenty twenty three, right at the start,
probably twelve months to live, and his mum, Allison, was
just doing everything she could to.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Make it a happy ending for Sammy.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
And here we are, what like twenty six, twenty seven
months later, So he more than doubled. He more than doubled.
He fought until the end. Sammy, We had him a
lot on this show last year. We originally got a
letter in Alie and I at the time from a
friend of the family saying that my best friend Ali has.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
A heart of gold. You know, this is introduction to Sammy.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
If there's anything you guys can do, there's anyway we
can get this story out there, we would like I'd
be so appreciative.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
And I see I wasn't on this show at that time,
and I remember seeing these beautiful photos of this little.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Kid dressed in a police outfit. Yeah, trying to save
the world.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
So he came in here and he was a little
bit shy to start with, and we just talked to
Sammy and we talked to.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Mum and had over time.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
As we continued to throw more and more toys in
the studio at him, he sort of started to open
up and he felt comfortable around us, and we got
to a point where he said, I want to be
a police officer when I grow up. And there wasn't
a whole lot of growing up to do for Sammy,
but hey, we could still make you a police officer.
So with the help of the government, Peter Malanawskus, with
(01:37):
the help of Grant Stevens.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Everyone jumped on board.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Everyone jumped on board, and we put on this day
for Sammy that I would imagine he would never forget.
We caught up with Allison a few times afterwards, the
mother and she said, you know, he still wears his
police uniform.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
And we are thinking of you and your any siblings
and family, grandparents, everyone.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
That loves him. Yeah, and everyone out there there that
was a part of this.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
When we shut down Rundle Moore, like thousands of people,
we shut down Rundlemore for Sammy and made honestly, in
his mother's words, the best day of his life.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Yeah, it would have been.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
It's something that is well worth revisiting. I think it's
a sad day, but Adelaide came together and made a
very happy day for sam.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
I've got a phone call and she's like, he's got
a brain humor. No, you're just choking, burst into tears
and you don't know. It was a size of a peach.
And it's a type of brain humor that there's no
cure for. They said twelve to eighteen months, and it
breaks my heart. It's going to be tough for everyone.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Yeah, your fourteen year old boy is best mates with Sammy.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
How long have you guys been mates for a few years?
I love them. Do you ever have moments where you're like,
life's not fair. I'm just thinking like, why do it
have to happen to him? I mean, he's so young
and it doesn't deserve it.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Unfortunately, for Sammy, it is the reality he's living with,
and it's reality that his mother, particular, he's living with.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
From one alley to another, welcome, tell me about your Sammy.
Speaker 5 (03:08):
There's no downtime. So I feel like I'm chasing a
toddler constantly. The only time his energy has kind of
waned is when he's been mid treatments and he's kind
of really I've watched him drain out of him.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
So is there a moment where you have had to
concede in your mind that there isn't another option?
Speaker 5 (03:26):
I concede it on that very first day when they
said this will end your son's life.
Speaker 6 (03:30):
I was in shock.
Speaker 5 (03:31):
I didn't know how to respond. But each time you
see your son vomit, or you see his little body
just too weak to anything, you can see it.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Every time Ali, you have a little pocket rocket there,
don't you? He's Sammy. You've had to go to hospital
a bit, haven't you? Was that a bit scary?
Speaker 5 (03:48):
Pretty brave with needles?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Why do you want to be a police officer? Are
the dogs?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
What do you love about them?
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Jeff Luffy? Yeah?
Speaker 7 (04:00):
So would that be.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
The coolest thing you could do to become a police
officer and work with their dogs? How much do you
love your mummy? That's our work. How does it feel
when you hear him say things like I want to
grow up and be a police officer and work with dogs.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
Knowing that that's not not going to happen, it kind
of cuts me down because in my head, I'm like,
you're not going to grow up, You're going to stay
young forever. So it's been tough. But as long as
are smiling every day and they don't see me break
every day, I just want them to be happy as
long as possible.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Karen from wind Vale, You've been listening to little Sammy's story.
Speaker 8 (04:39):
Yeah, I was particularly interested in his wish to become
a police officer and to join the police dog unit,
and just thought it would be so great perhaps if
he could meet some of the people involved in that unit,
and maybe some of the dogs as well.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
It's a great idea. Michelle from the Onkapringer Hills. You've
got a suggestion for our little boys, Sammy.
Speaker 7 (05:00):
Why not contact the police department? Shut up a fake robbery?
Which memory that will last a lifetime.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
None of us could believe it when this person's people
reached out to us, to our first criminal, that little Sammy,
our boy in blue, is going to hunt down and
Runde Moore. Can you please say hello and tell everybody.
Speaker 5 (05:19):
Who you are hello everybody about Sin's.
Speaker 6 (05:28):
This is such a heartwarming thing that you guys are
doing it.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
I just love it.
Speaker 6 (05:32):
When people use their power.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
There's something beautiful and that's what you guys are doing,
and it.
Speaker 7 (05:36):
Will make such a massive difference to this kid.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
If he agrees to let you out, you reckon. You
could play a few songs for everybody that's going to
come down and support Sammy in his crime. Farty, anything
I can do to help, I'm going to come down
and whatever you need me for, I'm there to help.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Yes, yes, I can't wait.
Speaker 6 (05:55):
Let's all make you dake.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Police Commissioner Grant Stephens.
Speaker 7 (05:58):
I love Grant Stephens.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
I like.
Speaker 6 (06:02):
I hear you really like the idea of working with
the canines.
Speaker 9 (06:05):
Yes.
Speaker 6 (06:05):
Yeah, Well I'm here.
Speaker 9 (06:06):
Today to swear you in as South Australia's newest police officer.
Speaker 6 (06:10):
How do you feel about that?
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Yes, Grant, would he be our youngest ever police officer.
Speaker 9 (06:16):
He's definitely our youngest, but maybe not our shortest. If
we got an identification badge for him, this is your
identification badge that says that you're a special constable. But
I can only give this to you if you promised
me that you were going to help people.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
I promised to help people.
Speaker 6 (06:32):
I promise to solve crimes.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
I comstedlf crimes, and.
Speaker 6 (06:36):
I promised to catch criminals. Chromist to catch criminals, and
I promise not to blow it up.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
He did say that you wanted to do that, Sammy,
but you might have to give it up.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
You have to say it.
Speaker 6 (06:52):
Well, try not to blow it up. So this means
you are now a police officer.
Speaker 9 (07:00):
Yeah, yeah, you need a uniform ostom looking.
Speaker 6 (07:11):
You might have to roll the sleeve up. Sergeant's epaulets
on their look Big.
Speaker 10 (07:17):
We plan to be on the ground for fifteen minutes,
but he's already got his seat belt on and he's
ready to go.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Well, this is bloody exciting.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
We're at Adelaide Oval, thirty meters above the ground. The
police chopper is coming into land with Big Sammy.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Give us a light, Sammy, this is your police card, Sammy.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Wait wait, these people are all here to help you
solve the crime.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Has everybody hands together.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
For Sergeant Sava.
Speaker 10 (07:48):
Now, the first person we're looking for is O'Brien. Can
you go and find him and bring him back and
put him in this cage.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Let's cheering on your dad.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Say yeah, straight into jail, Riley.
Speaker 10 (08:03):
The next criminal we're looking for. Do you know Alex
carry the cricketer.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
You need to find our wicket keeper, Sammy.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Sami Sami, sam.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Straight into jail with you, Alex carry.
Speaker 10 (08:18):
One last bare thief to catch? Can you find guy
Spastian for us?
Speaker 6 (08:22):
Please?
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Could he be over there? Sammy? He's going to do
a runner, Sammy, don't let him get away.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I think we got him straight in the cell.
Speaker 9 (08:33):
Sammy, you didn't have to man handle me.
Speaker 10 (08:35):
Dude, who wants to hear?
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Guys Basia.
Speaker 8 (08:41):
We are.
Speaker 10 (08:56):
I have a special note here signed by the Governor
of South Australia, thanking Sammy for his service to the
community of South Australia as Senior Sergeant Sammy Scully Gold.
Speaker 7 (09:07):
I'm made. Congratulations.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Alie is with us now?
Speaker 3 (09:11):
How are you feeling?
Speaker 7 (09:13):
I am feeling amazing this morning. Sammy reminded me that
it did happen. As he was drifting off the sleep
last night, he said, Mummie, today has been the best
day of my life. Thanks you from all of us.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
It's our absolute pleasure.
Speaker 7 (09:25):
That's for me. There was just Sammy and I there
listened to guy because we did that in our laundering
of all the moments that we've shared. Yeah, it's pretty incredible.
Some terrible news to wake up to this morning.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Our man, Sergeant Sammy Scully, who we had a lot
to do with on this show last year, has unfortunately
passed away overnight. It was an inoperable brain Timber. We
knew this day was coming there originally said with Sammy.
He's diagnosed back in twenty twenty three, right at the start,
probably twelve months to live, and his mum, Allison, was
just doing everything she could to.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Make it a happy ending for Sammy.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
And here we are, what like twenty six, twenty seven
months later, So he more than doubled. He more than doubled.
He fought until the end. Sammy, We had him a
lot on this show last year. We originally got a
letter in Alie and I at the time from a
friend of the family saying that my best friend Ali has.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
A heart of gold. You know, this is introduction to Sammy.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
If there's anything you guys can do, there's anyway we
can get this story out there, we would like I'd
be so appreciative.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
And I see I wasn't on this show at that time,
and I remember seeing these beautiful photos of this little.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Kid dressed in a police outfit. Yeah, trying to save
the world.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
So he came in here and he was a little
bit shy to start with, and we just talked to
Sammy and we talked to.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Mum and had over time.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
As we continued to throw more and more toys in
the studio at him, he sort of started to open
up and he felt comfortable around us, and we got
to a point where he said, I want to be
a police officer when I grow up. And there wasn't
a whole lot of growing up to do for Sammy,
but hey, we could still make you a police officer.
So with the help of the government, Peter Malanawskus, with
(01:37):
the help of Grant Stevens.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Everyone jumped on board.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Everyone jumped on board, and we put on this day
for Sammy that I would imagine he would never forget.
We caught up with Allison a few times afterwards, the
mother and she said, you know, he still wears his
police uniform.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
And we are thinking of you and your any siblings
and family, grandparents, everyone.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
That loves him. Yeah, and everyone out there there that
was a part of this.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
When we shut down Rundle Moore, like thousands of people,
we shut down Rundlemore for Sammy and made honestly, in
his mother's words, the best day of his life.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Yeah, it would have been.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
It's something that is well worth revisiting. I think it's
a sad day, but Adelaide came together and made a
very happy day for sam.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
I've got a phone call and she's like, he's got
a brain humor. No, you're just choking, burst into tears
and you don't know. It was a size of a peach.
And it's a type of brain humor that there's no
cure for. They said twelve to eighteen months, and it
breaks my heart. It's going to be tough for everyone.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Yeah, your fourteen year old boy is best mates with Sammy.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
How long have you guys been mates for a few years?
I love them. Do you ever have moments where you're like,
life's not fair. I'm just thinking like, why do it
have to happen to him? I mean, he's so young
and it doesn't deserve it.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Unfortunately, for Sammy, it is the reality he's living with,
and it's reality that his mother, particular, he's living with.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
From one alley to another, welcome, tell me about your Sammy.
Speaker 5 (03:08):
There's no downtime. So I feel like I'm chasing a
toddler constantly. The only time his energy has kind of
waned is when he's been mid treatments and he's kind
of really I've watched him drain out of him.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
So is there a moment where you have had to
concede in your mind that there isn't another option?
Speaker 5 (03:26):
I concede it on that very first day when they
said this will end your son's life.
Speaker 6 (03:30):
I was in shock.
Speaker 5 (03:31):
I didn't know how to respond. But each time you
see your son vomit, or you see his little body
just too weak to anything, you can see it.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Every time Ali, you have a little pocket rocket there,
don't you? He's Sammy. You've had to go to hospital
a bit, haven't you? Was that a bit scary?
Speaker 5 (03:48):
Pretty brave with needles?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Why do you want to be a police officer? Are
the dogs?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
What do you love about them?
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Jeff Luffy? Yeah?
Speaker 7 (04:00):
So would that be.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
The coolest thing you could do to become a police
officer and work with their dogs? How much do you
love your mummy? That's our work. How does it feel
when you hear him say things like I want to
grow up and be a police officer and work with dogs.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
Knowing that that's not not going to happen, it kind
of cuts me down because in my head, I'm like,
you're not going to grow up, You're going to stay
young forever. So it's been tough. But as long as
are smiling every day and they don't see me break
every day, I just want them to be happy as
long as possible.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Karen from wind Vale, You've been listening to little Sammy's story.
Speaker 8 (04:39):
Yeah, I was particularly interested in his wish to become
a police officer and to join the police dog unit,
and just thought it would be so great perhaps if
he could meet some of the people involved in that unit,
and maybe some of the dogs as well.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
It's a great idea. Michelle from the Onkapringer Hills. You've
got a suggestion for our little boys, Sammy.
Speaker 7 (05:00):
Why not contact the police department? Shut up a fake robbery?
Which memory that will last a lifetime.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
None of us could believe it when this person's people
reached out to us, to our first criminal, that little Sammy,
our boy in blue, is going to hunt down and
Runde Moore. Can you please say hello and tell everybody.
Speaker 5 (05:19):
Who you are hello everybody about Sin's.
Speaker 6 (05:28):
This is such a heartwarming thing that you guys are
doing it.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
I just love it.
Speaker 6 (05:32):
When people use their power.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
There's something beautiful and that's what you guys are doing,
and it.
Speaker 7 (05:36):
Will make such a massive difference to this kid.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
If he agrees to let you out, you reckon. You
could play a few songs for everybody that's going to
come down and support Sammy in his crime. Farty, anything
I can do to help, I'm going to come down
and whatever you need me for, I'm there to help.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Yes, yes, I can't wait.
Speaker 6 (05:55):
Let's all make you dake.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Police Commissioner Grant Stephens.
Speaker 7 (05:58):
I love Grant Stephens.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
I like.
Speaker 6 (06:02):
I hear you really like the idea of working with
the canines.
Speaker 9 (06:05):
Yes.
Speaker 6 (06:05):
Yeah, Well I'm here.
Speaker 9 (06:06):
Today to swear you in as South Australia's newest police officer.
Speaker 6 (06:10):
How do you feel about that?
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Yes, Grant, would he be our youngest ever police officer.
Speaker 9 (06:16):
He's definitely our youngest, but maybe not our shortest. If
we got an identification badge for him, this is your
identification badge that says that you're a special constable. But
I can only give this to you if you promised
me that you were going to help people.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
I promised to help people.
Speaker 6 (06:32):
I promise to solve crimes.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
I comstedlf crimes, and.
Speaker 6 (06:36):
I promised to catch criminals. Chromist to catch criminals, and
I promise not to blow it up.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
He did say that you wanted to do that, Sammy,
but you might have to give it up.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
You have to say it.
Speaker 6 (06:52):
Well, try not to blow it up. So this means
you are now a police officer.
Speaker 9 (07:00):
Yeah, yeah, you need a uniform ostom looking.
Speaker 6 (07:11):
You might have to roll the sleeve up. Sergeant's epaulets
on their look Big.
Speaker 10 (07:17):
We plan to be on the ground for fifteen minutes,
but he's already got his seat belt on and he's
ready to go.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Well, this is bloody exciting.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
We're at Adelaide Oval, thirty meters above the ground. The
police chopper is coming into land with Big Sammy.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Give us a light, Sammy, this is your police card, Sammy.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Wait wait, these people are all here to help you
solve the crime.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Has everybody hands together.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
For Sergeant Sava.
Speaker 10 (07:48):
Now, the first person we're looking for is O'Brien. Can
you go and find him and bring him back and
put him in this cage.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Let's cheering on your dad.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Say yeah, straight into jail, Riley.
Speaker 10 (08:03):
The next criminal we're looking for. Do you know Alex
carry the cricketer.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
You need to find our wicket keeper, Sammy.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Sami Sami, sam.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Straight into jail with you, Alex carry.
Speaker 10 (08:18):
One last bare thief to catch? Can you find guy
Spastian for us?
Speaker 6 (08:22):
Please?
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Could he be over there? Sammy? He's going to do
a runner, Sammy, don't let him get away.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I think we got him straight in the cell.
Speaker 9 (08:33):
Sammy, you didn't have to man handle me.
Speaker 10 (08:35):
Dude, who wants to hear?
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Guys Basia.
Speaker 8 (08:41):
We are.
Speaker 10 (08:56):
I have a special note here signed by the Governor
of South Australia, thanking Sammy for his service to the
community of South Australia as Senior Sergeant Sammy Scully Gold.
Speaker 7 (09:07):
I'm made. Congratulations.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Alie is with us now?
Speaker 3 (09:11):
How are you feeling?
Speaker 7 (09:13):
I am feeling amazing this morning. Sammy reminded me that
it did happen. As he was drifting off the sleep
last night, he said, Mummie, today has been the best
day of my life. Thanks you from all of us.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
It's our absolute pleasure.
Speaker 7 (09:25):
That's for me. There was just Sammy and I there
listened to guy because we did that in our laundering
of all the moments that we've shared. Yeah, it's pretty incredible.
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