Samuel Steele Hicks was born on November 27, 1974, to David and Charlotte Hicks. Growing up he moved around with his parents and younger siblings, Emily and Ben, ultimately settling down with his mom and sister in Scottdale, Pennsylvania. Sam spent his years there like most young boys playing soccer and Dungeons and Dragons. He was active in Eagle Scouts and excelled in school.
After he graduated from Southmoreland High School in 1993, he joined the National Guard. After two years with the National Guard, he attended the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, where he earned a bachelors degree in Chemistry. At Pitt-Johnstown, Sam belonged to the Acacia Fraternity and served as its president in 1997. It was during those years that Sam made the friends that lasted him all through his short life. From soccer friends in high school to Fraternity brothers in college, Sam touched the lives of many people.
Sam loved the mountains at Seven Springs Ski resort. He began going to Seven Springs as a child and worked at the resort for almost 10 years. Beginning as an instructor in the Tiny Tots’ Ski School in 1993, he later became the resort’s first snowboard patroller. Sam recruited 3 great friends onto Ski Patrol with him and, as a group, they all achieved Patroller of the Year recognitions.
As much as Sam loved the mountains, he also loved the ocean and loved to surf. He spent many summers convincing friends to live and work with him in Ocean City, MD cleaning pools. This is where he would eventually meet his future wife, Brooke. During the summer of 2000, Sam and Brooke lived right next door to each other. It did not take long for a summer romance to begin. At the end of that summer, they both decided this was a relationship worth continuing and Sam moved to Baltimore to be with Brooke. Coincidentally, this is the same way Brookes parents met and fell in love.
Sam worked for a short time as a Biology teacher at Owings Mills High School, but he had a plan to pursue a career in law enforcement and returned to Ocean City for one last summer joining the Ocean City Police Department.
After that summer, Sam and Brooke returned to Baltimore and Sam entered the Police Corps program. Upon his graduation, he began his career in the Southwestern District and remained there until 2005, when he was assigned to the organized crime division. In 2005 Sam was awarded the title of “Officer of Year”. This award is just one indication of the type of officer Sam was. He worked as an undercover narcotics detective in Baltimore City, he was literally the guy in the movie chasing down the bad guys, hopping over fences in dark alleys wearing jeans and a white t-shirt.
* Not only did Sam put away the bad guys, he freed people from a life of drugs. There isn’t a more telling story reflecting this, than the woman who showed up at the funeral home during Sam’s viewing to pay her respects. She politely told the officers at the door that she had been in a crack house that Sam raided, and that his actions and the actions of his fellow officers allowed her to begin a new life. *
Brooke and Sam were married in November of 2003, and bought a home in Abingdon, a community outside of Baltimore. In August of 2006, life changed in the most wonderful way for them. Brooke gave birth to a son, Noah Steele Hicks. Sam was instantly head over heels for this little boy and became an amazing father. At that moment, Sam knew that everything he did was for this boy and his family. However, as much as this father-figure had emerged with the coming of Noah, the Sam that just loved to hang out with his friends and that loved his job was still very much there. He was able to keep that balance of everything that was important to him.
In March 2007, Sam entered the FBI Academy and graduated in August that same year. With much excitement from his hometown friends and family, Special Agent Hicks returned home to Western Pennsylvania to work out of the Pittsburgh FBI office in the Counter Terrorism Division. Sam quickly learned the job and co-workers say he the best at what he did. In August of 2008, Sam was chosen to go to Amman, Jordan with other select agents for special training. In the FBI, Sam showed the same dedication as he did in all aspects of his life. Agents were surprised to find that Sam was just a rookie. His pose, knowledge and abilities were those of a veteran agent. It is hard to even imagine what kind of agent he would have become and the great things he would have done if he still had the opportunity.
As much as Sam enjoyed going to work, he enjoyed coming home to Brooke and Noah even more. He loved going to the zoo with Noah and was content with the simple joy of happiness in the presence of family and friends. Sam was a Pittsburgh Steelers fanatic, loved to golf, ski and snowboard. Friends fondly remember the greatness of Sam – his kind words, out-going personality and talent on and off the job. Friends say he was so popular; he was the best-man at several weddings, but more importantly, he was a modest man with a big heart and infectious laugh. Sam was the kind of man that made a mom proud, a wife happy, a son safe, and a friend laugh.
Tragically, Sam was killed in the line of duty on November 19, 2008. That morning began as any other morning…Sam kissing Brooke goodbye and promising to call later. At approximately 6:00 AM, he was fatally shot while executing a federal search warrant associated with a drug distribution ring. Christina Korbe has been charged with the murder of Sam and is awaiting trial.
This is just a glimpse into Sam’s life and no words could ever give justice to the kind of life he lived and the kind of person he was. There was, and still remains, a presence about him that is a part of every person whose life he touched.