Deanna Samson:  

Deanna was born in Salem Oregon in 1959. Her 1st grade was at St. Vincent grade school. In the middle of the school year, Deanna moved with her family to San Francisco. The year was 1965. San Francisco was a culture shock to an Oregonian. During the four years, Deanna went to over 10 different grades schools. She lived in Freemont, Oakland, Vallejo, Almeida, Treasure Island, and a few more forgotten places. It seemed like the family moved 3 times a year due to "bad neighborhoods". While Deanna and her sisters adapted to the "hippy" generation, their parents could not. The Golden Gate park was amazing! All the parks were mind blowing and one of Deanna's favorite things to do. One place the family moved to had a large park with beaches on one end and play equipment and art and crafts on the other. The children could "check out" basketballs, foursquare balls, and even baseballs and bats. Deanna always stopped at the arts n crafts building first to see what was being taught that day and if they were full. Each school day was terrifying for Deanna. Her mother placed Deanna in an all black school for three months one year. Not one child spoke to her. So many schools, losing friends just made, and being bullied. Always the new fat kid that dressed like a hick from Oregon...you can't imagine the fear and humiliating remarks. In 1969 Deanna and her family moved to Kodiak Island, Alaska. The On Base school was so laidback, NO one ever wore shoes and best of all, NO more moves! Alaska was just what the doctor ordered. Deanna experienced and enjoyed the earthquakes and aftershocks too. She had fire drills, earthquake drills, and bomb drills in school. What an exciting place to live. The On Base school was on locked down once. It wasn't a gunman. No, it was a larger predator. It was a Kodiak bear. Some of the largest bears in the world. The family spent one full winter on the island. And for those curious, it was AWESOME! The summers on the beach and picking Salmon berries were magical. Deanna found an artifact and found out from the museum it was a stone oil lamp. Soon it was time to leave the island. Flying in and out of Alaska was not for the faint of heart. On the flight to Kodiak, the plane lost one of the engines and had to stay overnight in Anchorage. Deanna left Kodiak before the next school year started and left her family on the island. The flight to Portland was crazy! The plane would fall hundreds of feet before catching an up draft just to fall hundreds of feet again. What a wild ride. Once home from Alaska, Deanna went to several schools. Swegle grade school and St Vincent grade school. Once again, the family moves. Forcing Deanna to move as well. 1971, Mobile Alabama. The racism and red ants were almost too much for Deanna. The private catholic school, St. Dominic, was a nightmare. Everyone was racist it seemed and the bullies were more violent and cruel then Deanna had ever had to cope with before. And that was just the nuns. At 12 years old, Deanna was now unable to cope and started to shut down. The 2nd year was just as bad as the first year. The three sisters were being bused an hour and a half each direction. Busing in Alabama was pure HELL! Deanna was returned to Salem after a meltdown and a weak attempt at suicide. She was placed for the third time at St. Vincent grade school. She graduated 8th grade at St Vincent a few months later. Deanna started Sacred Heart Academy at 13 years old. She made three friends in the four years of high school. She was an outcast and afraid to say hi. She sat in the library before and in between classes trying to avoid people. She was never included or invited to any activities. She was never invi...Expand for more