BATON ROUGE — After a deadly motorcycle crash on Feb. 28th claimed the life of their loved one, a family is preparing to say goodbye to a brother, son, dad and grandfather. Samuel Wright’s youngest daughter is wanting everyone to remember him as a loyal man who put others first even when he was struggling through addiction.
Louisiana State Police reported that Wright, 43, died in a motorcycle crash on Airline Highway just south of Jefferson Highway on Saturday. The crash happened just after 2:40 p.m. and involved a motorcycle and Kia Soul.
According to LSP, the motorcycle, which Wright was driving, was traveling behind the Kia going south on Airline. For unknown reasons, Wright appears to have accelerated to a high rate of speed before crashing into the back of the Kia.
Wright was ejected from the motorcycle and seriously injured. He was transported to a local hospital, where he died of his injuries. Per LSP, he was wearing a DOT-approved motorcycle helmet at the time of the crash. The driver and passenger of the Kia had minor injuries.
“He was somebody I could always count on”
His daughter, Makenzie Wright, said that while she’s emotional about losing him, she said she’s “so happy that he could go the way that he would have wanted to,” doing something he loved, which was riding motorcycles and going fast.
Wright had just visited his best friend ‘Tip’ hours before the fatal crash, borrowing his motorcycle. They were part of a riding club in the Baton Rouge area known as the Presidential Ryders.
Makenzie said that her dad, who had been in and out of her life since she was young due to addiction, had only recently started experiencing life at its fullest.
“He really got to live the last bit of his life for the first time. He really truly got to live, you know,” Makenzie said.
Wright’s younger sister, Sara Johnston, spoke fondly of her brother, saying she always felt close to him. Both Johnston and Wright battled addiction and ended up in recovery later on in life. She said their shared experience is part of what made her feel so close to her big brother.
“He was somebody I could always count on, no matter what, even at my worst, you know, when I had nobody else,” his sister told UWK.
Makenzie echoed the sentiment, citing her dad’s “loyalty” and devotion to helping others: “He loved being able to make somebody’s day, being able to put a smile on somebody’s face, even though he was silently going through the worst of worst.”
The family is remembering Wright for his personality, especially his humor and ability to “light up any room.” While he was actively battling addiction, some of his relationships became strained, but in the past few years, he was able to rekindle some of those with family members, including Makenzie.
“He loved his kids and his grandbabies,” Johnston said. Makenzie told UWK that her dad was made to be a Pawpaw.
“They say your love for your grandbabies is so different,” Makenzie said. “Sometimes it sucks because I think about our relationship, and I’m like, I wish he could have been there more, but I’m so much more grateful he could be there for my babies and I could see the love that he tried to have.”
While he loved riding motorcycles, Wright also loved singing and doing anything outside, especially going fishing.
“He was probably the most intelligent person I knew,” his sister shared. “He was like a walking encyclopedia. You could ask him any question, and he knew the answer to it.”
Makenzie agreed, adding, “He was a trip like, I mean, the most brilliant being, and so funny and it was that dry humor.”
Wright leaves behind his two daughters, Makenzie and Bayli; parents; siblings; grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. He also leaves behind the love of his life, his partner Shannon who also went through recovery with him.
DONATE HERE TO HELP WITH BURIAL EXPENSES
“And one thing he loved, just like his kids, was his dog, Chevy. He would send me videos, like, all the time, like every other day of the dog,” Johnston recalled.
Funeral arrangements and riding procession
Makenzie is now facing the daunting task of planning and paying for her father’s funeral as a single mom who works full time.
“All I want is just to be able to give him a pretty service, and for everybody to be able to love him and feel at peace with seeing him. And that’s all I want to be able to do for him,” she said.
The family has created a GoFundMe to help with burial costs. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 10 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Seale Funeral Home in Denham Springs.
From Seale’s, Wright’s family and friends are asking for a final ride as they proceed to the cemetery for burial at the Denham Springs Memorial Cemetery (12051 N Range Ave.). Members of his motorcycle riding group, the Presidential Ryders, will join the procession.
“I want anybody and everybody who loves him to show up, support, show out, and be there, because he would have wanted that,” Makenzie said.
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