ABOUT

The Samuel Radovich Memorial Foundation was founded in 2015 in memory of Samuel Tyson Radovich.  Sam was just 32 years old when he was diagnosed with Leukemia.  In the days leading up to his diagnosis, Sam had worked his regular beat as a CHP officer, completed a 60 mile bike ride from Livermore to Santa Cruz with his mom and taken his new Harley for a spin with his wife.  A Leukemia diagnosis was not something anyone in his life could have anticipated.  Sam had always thought if he was to die young, it would be on the job leaving his wife with his pension and full benefits.  He went to the doctor complaining of stomach pain, was admitted to the hospital the next day and two weeks later he was gone.  Nothing could have prepared Sam or his family for such a tragic event or the struggles his family faced following his death.  Sam's illness was initially not considered job related; therefore his wife would not receive any of the benefits she would have been entitled to had he died on the job.  This presented another series of hardships for a family who was already dealing with the loss of their loved one. 

The purpose of the Samuel Radovich Memorial Foundation is to bring awareness to the challenges facing sick or injured public service officers and their families, particularly those whose illnesses or injuries have been deemed non-job related.   We plan to work with the local public service agencies to help educate officers on these issues as well as help families going through a similar process with the hope of alleviating some of the stress and hardship. 

As Sam's friends and family, we have established the Foundation to commemorate Sam's life by recalling the zeal with which he lived and the love he shared with all.  Sam was truly one in a million; son, brother, uncle and loving husband, dedicated CHP officer and the best kind of friend known for his infamous storytelling and contagious laughter.  We built this Foundation to honor his memory, his generous spirit and his love of life.

The Sam Rad Fund has partnered with the CHP 11-99 Foundation and the Livermore-Pleasanton Firefighters Foundation to help bring awareness to our cause. Both Foundations are committed to supporting injured and fallen highway patrol officers and firefighters, police officers, EMS personnel, and their families both locally and across the state.