‘Profound sadness’: Fentanyl kills gifted athlete at 24

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Sam Karlin was a talented young athlete, a Haitian refugee and a gifted basketball player. Recently, Karlin was found unconscious on a MAX train and was declared dead on May 8.

He was just 24. Fentanyl killed him.

David Lucas became close to Sam Karlin through the ML20 Foundation, a mentoring and sports academy started in honor of his father, the late Blazers great Maurice Lucas.

He wanted to share Karlin’s story to bring more awareness to the dangers of street drugs.

Multnomah County recorded 322 fentanyl overdose deaths in 2023

“Sam’s death affected me in so many different ways, and it affected a lot of people, and it’s happening every single day,” Lucas told KOIN 6 News. “Every day, somebody’s dying from overdose or drugs or substance abuse, and we’re losing our kids at a young age. And this is for everything that affects a family forever.

Sam’s nickname on the basketball court was “Nightmare” since he was a nightmare for opponents.

“From 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, he was a phenom. He came to the United States from Haiti when he was a 10-year-old,” Lucas said. “By the age of 12, he was one of the best kids in the state.”

Lucas, who turned 42 this week, didn’t celebrate. Instead, he shared Sam’s story.

“All I can think about was Sam the whole time, and I really wanted to make awareness of drugs and, you know, it’s a dangerous game. You’re basically throwing the dice every time you take a drug, and I’ve had a lot of people pass away in the past few years from fentanyl, from drug overdoses,” he said. “Twenty-four years old, super fit and athletic. And had this addiction that he couldn’t beat. I think it’s time to raise awareness even more.”

It’s unclear where Karlin got the drug — or whether he even knew it was fentanyl.

Marty and Manny Karlin adopted Sam when he was just 10. Marty said she is dealing with “anger, profound sadness. I just have so many memories of Sam, and that’s what I want to hold on to. It’s very personal, and it’s a tragedy.”

The Karlins said Sam did struggle with mental health and drug addiction and had just gotten out of prison when he was found unconscious.

“I’m pretty cynical,” Manny Karlin said. “I’m afraid to say, but individually we keep trying. We offer services. We offer help.”

“Keeping trying,” Marty said, “is what matters.”

The one positive in all of this: Sam Karlin was an organ donor. So even in death, he’s helping others live.

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