Christian M Samuels

Lieutenant Christian M. Samuels, 32, of Beach Park, IL passed away on November 10, 2021. Chris or Samuels as he was known by was born February 25, 1989, in England. Chris was a member of Our Lady of Humility Catholic Church in Beach Park. He graduated from Zion-Benton High School. Chris was a lieutenant at the Beach Park Fire Department and was an instructor at Northern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy (NIPSTA). He was a member of IAFF – Beach Park Professional Firefighters Local No. 786, Southside Fools, Bagpipe group. Christian was a truly remarkable man. He was so bright, so full of life, and had a heart of gold. When he walked in the room, his smile and laughter was infectiously contagious. For those lucky enough to have a part of his life, knew he was such a diverse and well-rounded individual. One of his true great passions in life, was his love for the fire service. Ever since he was a young boy in England, he knew he wanted to become a fireman. He took the time to follow his dreams, and he loved every minute of it. Since the day he was hired at the Beach Park Fire Department, he had held many different positions, risen the ranks, and was a brother to all. From the different trainings, to earning firefighter of the year, he truly put his heart and soul into his work. Even though the job had many highs and lows, he took every day with pride and would make the best out of each situation. Making a difference, and being a positive light on someone’s worst day, was something that meant a lot to him. One of the many things Chris would talk your ear off about, was his son Noah. He was so proud to be a dad and cherished the time and memories they shared together. There would always be a new funny story that involved the two of them, especially about the sense of humor Noah had. The most memorable moment Samuels always shared, was their trip to North Carolina. He would describe how wonderful it was cruising through the winding mountains, while Noah was sitting at the edge of his seat with his head on a swivel. He described they had their windows rolled down, music on, and just enjoying the sights and smells that surrounded them. Once they made it to the beach, the rest was history, and they had a blast at Myrtle Beach. Another thing Chris was very prideful of, was his passion for his culture and playing the bagpipes. He would tell everyone who had asked, he was very honored to carry the tradition of his heritage. He was notorious for playing ceremonies during St. Patrick’s Day events, as well as other ceremonies he was requested at. He would spend time practicing in the apparatus bay at the fire department, and you knew Chris was playing the second you pulled into the parking lot. As always, many played around with him and teased him playfully about his kilt, but he truly embraced his love for playing. Anytime you walked into a room with Chris, odds are he was either always cooking or eating one of his favorite foods. Anything from sushi or Indian food to a handful of gummy bears when he was stressed out, he loved trying new foods. Any time he left for a vacation besides showing off pictures of the scenery, he always brought up the food. Chris is survived by his son, Noah J. Samuels; parents, Mark and Zena Samuels; brother, Jordan Samuels; significant other, Sally Gomez; and grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, Beach Park Fire Department Family, NIPSTA Family, Southside Fools Family. Funeral service will be on November 23, 2021 at 1:00 PM at Our Lady of Humility Catholic Church in Beach Park, IL. Memorial visitation will begin at 12 Noon until time of service. Interment will be private for the family. For memorial contributions please visit, https://gofund.me/15a6649a