Samantha Alison Thomas, M.D.
1995 - 2020
Samantha made a huge impact on everyone lucky enough to know her. With a curiosity to learn anything and an adherence to excellence in everything she did, Samantha would have found unimaginable achievements in life. Tragically, on August 1, 2020, she was recklessly murdered by a drunk driver in Mobile, Alabama just shy of her 25th birthday.
Massimo and Samantha met in Destin, Florida on March 23, 2014 when he was at the peak of his addiction. Theirs was a smart match that found them both challenging the other to strive for more in their respective lives as they grew closer together. Samantha was particularly interested in helping Massimo put his addiction behind him while determining a method to stabilize his bipolar disorder.
Addiction took the last of Massimo's earthly possessions and in December 2014 he became homeless. Separated by distance at that time and an inability to pay for a phone, they corresponded by mail during 2015. Samantha wrote difficult questions and through their exchange, Massimo began to create his own Flavor of Confidence to figure out what was at the heart of his drive to destructively self-harm.
After regaining sobriety, they maintained their correspondence through mail. Although they restored their prior interaction, it was the letters that truly strengthened their relationship. After developing the Flavors of Confidence method, Samantha was excited about the possibilities. She began encouraging Massimo to write a book about his life and the tools he created. For the next couple years, the book was nothing more than an outline until Samantha was taken. Writing began in earnest and the book released March 23, 2023.
In April 2023, Massimo decided to again make a career change and dedicate the rest of his life to helping others achieve and maintain their sobriety by using the Flavors of Confidence™ SOBER Method™.
The University of South Alabama posthumously awarded Samantha the Doctorate in Medicine she was about to receive. Today, Massimo honors the legacy of this amazing woman in the care of others that need the same encouragement Samantha once gave him.
Please consider donating to the
Samantha Alison Thomas Memorial Scholarship Endowment and write Flavors of Confidence in your giving note. Thank you.