# Happy 50th Birthday to a True Friend Some friendships begin with a handshake. Ours began in sixth grade, growing up in Manassas, Virginia, with a basketball nearby. Sam Cales was tall, skinny, and already an expert at taking a charge. He’d plant himself in the paint, knee brace and all, standing firm and waiting for an offensive foul. That was Sam: tough, determined, and never afraid to hold his ground. Before long, basketball turned into baseball. Sam was a Reds fan, and you could usually spot him by the Reds hat he always wore. It didn’t matter what kind of ball we had or what game we were playing. If there was a ball, we were out there together. As we got older, life added new chapters. Sam drove me to school. We worked together at Domino’s, had more than our share of good times, and made the kind of memories you carry with you for the rest of your life. Then came the milestones: Sam stood beside me as my best man. We celebrated each other becoming fathers, and he was there to celebrate my daughter’s wedding. Somewhere along the way, we even got to interview a Washington Capitals sports icon, Craig Laughlin. We’ve been lucky enough to share plenty of adventures, but the greatest thing has been simply growing up side by side and showing up for each other through it all. Sam has seen me at my worst and at my best. He’s stayed through the ups and downs, the celebrations and the hard times. I can’t thank him enough for that. If there’s a model of what a true friend looks like, it’s Sam Cales. He comes from a wonderful family. He’s a hard worker, a great husband, and a great dad. Most of all, he’s been the same loyal friend since the kid in the knee brace was standing firm in the paint. Happy 50th birthday, Sam. Thank you for being exactly who you are and for being part of my life for all these years. Here’s to many more memories together—and may we never grow old.