Thread by @jeremyjojola

A story.

In the Spring of 1954 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a young mother handed over her three-day old son to a couple who long yearned for a child of their own.

Margie Nelson is pictured here, likely the last moment she had with her baby before giving him up for adoption. 1/

The boy was taken in by Manuel Jojola, a medicine man from Isleta Pueblo, and his wife Lupita. They named him Samuel (Sam) and never told him throughout his childhood he was adopted. They raised him as a Native American. Sam was instilled with Native cultural beliefs. 2/

Sam’s adoptive parents (pictured) loved him. During hunting trips with his father, Sam learned respect for the earth and nature through ceremony and prayer. Reverence for the environment and animals would set the stage for a decorated career as an undercover wildlife agent. 3/

Thanks to an infatuation with birds that began around age 10, Sam became known as a living encyclopedia who could immediately identify a species just by hearing its song. Here’s Sam as a boy with his grandfather on Isleta Pueblo. 4/

At age 18, Sam entered the Army just as the Vietnam War was ending. Before his trip to boot camp, his parents finally told Sam he was adopted. The shocking disclosure had a life-long and profound impact on Sam’s worldview. 5/

Many unanswered questions about his identity would begin a deep yearning to find his birth mother and his true self. 

After an honorable discharge, Sam became a prison guard in Santa Fe for a short time. He was recognized for catching an escapee on foot . 6/

Sam got married and shortly after moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree at @nmsu with a focus on wildlife management. Sam had his first son, Jeremy, graduated, and began his career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 7/

Sam’s first job in the @USFWS was a refuge officer in Socorro, NM and Brownsville, TX (pictured). But he went on to find his true calling a few years after this photo was taken. 8/

Eventually Sam’s talent of connecting with anybody of any background led him to become an undercover special agent in the @USFWS special operations division, beginning in Los Angeles. 9/

He would put himself in extremely dangerous situations while undercover.

Here’s Sam undercover (far right, green vest). He infiltrated this group of bear poachers. 10/

Posing as a buyer of rare and endangered wildlife, Sam often fooled criminals who were looking to profit off the vulnerability of animals he so loved. Sam was sly and cunning and extremely likeable, which helped ensnare numerous other criminal suspects throughout his career. 11/

Sam eventually found his birth mother in the mid 1980s. Margie had 8 other children. But she never forgot her first born son. Here’s Sam (right) with his birth mom and his brother Jon. He continued a connection with his mother and new bothers and sisters for years. 12/

On September 11, 2001, Sam happened to be in Washington D.C. during the terrorist attacks. Immediately he served his country by guarding federal properties near the Pentagon and then he became a deputized Federal Air Marshal. Here’s a letter recognizing that service. 13/

After a long distinguished career with the USFWS, Sam retired and lived in Redondo Beach, California and started picking up gigs as a background actor in shows like Mad Men. He played a prison guard in a scene with Al Pacino in the movie Stand Up Guys (pictured). 14/

Out of a remarkable life with so many careers and job titles, the role Sam loved the most was husband, father and grandfather. Sam had a reputation of being extremely likeable, fun, goofy, charming and empathetic. 

Sam was my dad. 15/

Sam left this world on August 14th. Glioblastoma took him, but throughout his journey with cancer he kept smiling. Like the birds he loved, he now has wings. He got to meet his new granddaughter in the spring. 16/

One of the hardest things I’ve ever written is my dad’s obituary. But here it is. It’s impossible to sum up his life. But thank you for letting me share a small piece of him with you. Fly high pop. 🦅
LINK: samjojola.wordpress.com 17/17.