Death of His Sons
While Sam was in The Philippines, his 27-year-old son Phillip was killed. Sam turned inward, started drinking heavily, and could not pursue his interests in art.
Sam dealt with his grief by returning to art. He worked tirelessly day and night on paintings in what is now called Phillip's Room at the Chapel. According to Chapel employees who watched Sam, "it was as though he was possessed by depression and anger. Finally, his body and mind could take it no more. Sam broke down, and stopped."
Sam's children urged their father to take better care of himself, and took over all business responsibilities at PMI. Sam left for The Philippines for an extended period.
On October 14, 2012, his son Tim Butcher, the inspiration for many Precious Moments pieces, died.
Read more about this topic: Sam Butcher
Famous quotes containing the words death and/or sons:
“I used to think of death ... like I suppose soldiers think of it: it was a possible thing that I could well avoid by my skill.”
—Stendhal [Marie Henri Beyle] (1783–1842)
“Until you have a son of your own . . . you will never know the joy, the love beyond feeling that resonates in the heart of a father as he looks upon his son. You will never know the sense of honor that makes a man want to be more than he is and to pass something good and hopeful into the hands of his son. And you will never know the heartbreak of the fathers who are haunted by the personal demons that keep them from being the men they want their sons to be.”
—Kent Nerburn (20th century)