Reflection from the Sexual Assault Response Center on the Loss of our Colleague and Friend Sam Hudran

November 17, 2025

Losing a colleague on a small, close-knit team like ours at SARC, has felt like losing a part of our collective heart. Working side by side, each SARC team member’s presence is deeply woven into the daily rhythm of our work with survivors – the way we check in with each other after difficult calls or sessions, share laughter between tasks, and rely on each other’s steady presence during moments of intensity and insanity.  The absence of Sam is felt in every corner of the Center – in the quiet spaces, in the open spaces, in the voice and words we expect to hear, and in the silence that often follows a shared memory.

Our work here at SARC depends on trust, empathy, and resilience. We see and hold so much pain from survivors that our bonds with one another become essential to carrying that weight. Losing one of our own reminds us how fragile that balance can be.

It has stirred up grief, disbelief, and even guilt – emotions we often help others navigate, but which now rest with us. Yet, within that grief, there is also deep and unabating gratitude.: for having known, and loved, and worked alongside someone who gave so much of themselves to others, for the compassion they brought to our mission, and for the not so small ways Sam shaped our team’s identity.

This loss has deepened our understanding of the importance of care – not only for the survivors who come to us, but for one another. It has reminded us that supporting our team’s emotional well-being is as vital as the work we do for our community. As we move forward, we do so carrying both sorrow and appreciation, honoring our colleague by continuing the work she believed in with the same compassion, commitment, and humility that Sam brought every day. We are grateful for every moment we shared with Sam, and all the moments we will share together this coming year.

— Elizabeth, Jessica, Debbie, Angela, Traci, Selena, Arlette, Andrew, Lauren, Mollie, and Mary