Certainly, all of this would make any human a prime candidate for the bitter man syndrome but on the contrary. Once you are enlightened on what he did with his pain, it will surely give unparalleled hope to anyone who’s experiencing a devastating loss of a love one. This native of “Brooklyn New York’s rough and tough “Brownsville” area turned his tragic events into an inspirational song of hope and promise for us all!
The song is called “SEE YOU AGAIN” which Sam wrote and produced. This chill stirring “gospel ballad” is reminiscent of prolific R&B Soul singer “Sam Cook’s” Immortal song “Change Gonna Come”. The incredible vocal performance in “SEE YOU AGAIN” is sung by O’Neal’s dearest friend Philadelphia recording artist Jenae La’roi.
With a little help from his cousin film producer Jim White of Jim White Enterprises of Los Angeles California, O’Neal’s song is accompanied by a colorful heart pounding “music video” depicting all races and creeds. As Sam’s “Auntie Ora Lee” use to say, “pain is pain no matter who’s it afflicted upon”. Sam O’Neal, a great American who pushed aside his own pain and lost to give God given hope to all. After journeying with Sam, you too will think of someone special and say “See you again”.
https://youtu.be/9FmVUMo61_A
About Sam O’Neal:
One would truly be hard pressed to find a better candidate for being a bitter man than Samuel O’Neal. This native of Brooklyn, New York’s rough “Brownsville” area was named after the late great soul singer “Sam Cook”. O’Neal had no idea his young life would be filled with the hardship of Cook’s heart wrenching song, “Change Is Gonna Come”. This song masterfully and tearfully articulated the agony Blacks endured during the civil rights era.
Sam’s story includes death and suffering as well but in a different form. He recalls his Auntie, Ora Lee saying, “Honey pain is pain no matter how it’s afflicted”. Being one of eight kids growing up the only relatable example of success Sam could identify with were Mike Tyson and LL Cool J. Although rap dominated the streets and airwaves Sam Mom’s home was inundated with the sounds of gospel’s finest.
At age 14 life challenges took over when he fell down an elevator shaft suffering a traumatic brain injury leading to an addiction to pain killers. Shortly after, Sam was shot in an apparent robbery requiring months of therapy. After recovering he found work at a nearby hospital, giving him new hope when in 1994 his younger brother, Isaac drowned virtually footsteps from him when he slipped from a rock in the ocean; he was just 22. In 2000 Sam’s 31-year-old wife, Tuwan, suddenly died; forcing him to become a single father with 3 small children to raise. Also, in 2000 he lost his big sister Hadassah whom he called his rock, and she was just 40.
It’s now 2006 and Sam gets the news everyone dreads, he is diagnosed with cancer and is devastated. As he contemplates weather to just end it all, he’s reminded of his kids and how lost they’d be without him, so he pushes on. Working at the hospital became his therapy along with song writing. One day while at work feeling down on himself and thinking of the hand life have dealt him—he witnessed many of his neighborhood friends arriving on stretchers after being involved in a deadly gang fight. Sam start to reminisce about those he had lost over the years, not to mention his own current state of illness.
One would expect the obvious but instead of sadness he became jubilant with the thought of seeing all his love ones again. It was then and there that he penned the heartwarming song, “See you again”; it would be over a decade later that he would gain the courage to retrieve the little white napkin he wrote it on. As he pulled it from his dresser drawer it was still in perfect condition. Using a little of his life savings and help from family and friends, Sam’s special dream came true. He produced his song and dedicates it to all people who have lost love ones but have never lost faith that they will one day see them again. There is certainly no better messenger to