THURSDAY, NOV. 12, 2020
Mint | Page 6
An American Dream One Evergreen columnist shares father’s work ethic and success.
VOL. 127 NO. 13
Commemorating Sam Martinez Pullman police’s investigation still ongoing; money from memorial fund to support anti-hazing organizations By Emma Ledbetter and Loren Negron Evergreen reporters
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courtesy of Jolayne houtz
Sam Martinez was a 19-year-old WSU student. He was empathetic and loyal to those he knew.
Fall is a difficult season for Jolayne Houtz and Hector Martinez. On Oct. 3, they celebrated their son Sam Martinez’s 20th birthday, and today marks the first anniversary of his death. “Our family feels very incomplete without him,” Jolayne said. The upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays only compound the feeling of loss Sam’s family is experiencing, Jolayne said. This is the second holiday season they will be celebrating without their son. Sam was a loyal and empathetic person, his parents said. His death left a hole in their lives. Hector said Sam was a gifted and competitive athlete. Sam played baseball and basketball, but his real passion was soccer, which he began when he was 3 years old. “He was a natural. He had it in his blood,” Hector said. “The other kids didn’t even know how to kick the ball.” Every summer, Sam’s family volunteered in a town outside of Oaxaca, Mexico, to help with community development projects.
When someone dies, a bunch of other people lose a lot of their lives. Death has its ripples. There’s a lot of people who feel the impact. Will Carlson Friend of Sam Martinez
courtesy of Jolayne houtz
Sam, his sister Ariana, and their parents went to Mexico every summer to work on community projects.
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News | 3
When Sam was little, he would carry large rocks to the foundation of the houses they were building, Hector said. Sam would hand out donated clothes and school supplies to the children who lived in the town, he said. Sam spoke Spanish, so he could easily communicate with friends as they worked on the projects or played soccer. Jolayne said Sam could always tell when someone needed support. When Sam was a ski instructor, he taught a group of three young boys. Two of the boys went on the chair lift together and left the third one behind, causing him to cry. “Sam [told the boy], ‘Hey, no problem, I’m going to sit with you … I’m going to be right there next to you,’” Jolayne said. “He was very empathetic to people who needed a boost.” Sam would also defend other pledges during his time at Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, Jolayne said. In one incident, initiation rituals got out of hand when fraternity members bullied a pledge. Sam brought up the incident to the chapter’s leadership. See SAM Page 3
Roots | 4
courtesy of Jolayne houtz
Sam was bilingual. He spoke Spanish with his father and attended a Spanish immersion school.
courtesy of Jolayne houtz
Sam played soccer all four years of high school in Bellevue. He was a gifted and competitive athlete.
courtesy of Jolayne houtz
Sam spoke Spanish to and played soccer with the children in the town where he volunteered.
Opinion | 5
Mint | 6
Sports | 8
Greeks host drive
New business in Colfax
Riots feed divide
Ducks in town
A plasma donation will be set up in the Chinook Student Center.
A new wine and art gallery is scheduled to open Nov. 12 in Colfax.
Potential protests over election results will only drive us apart.
WSU gets set to take on No. 11 Oregon at home Saturday.
News | Page 10
Roots | Page 4
Opinion | Page 5
Sports | Page 8
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