Captain Sam Horton '70, M.D. has contributed broadly and generously to his family, his community, his tribe (Fort Sill Apache), his country and Trinity High School.

Sam enrolled in Trinity in 1966 after graduating from St. Aloysius School in Pewee Valley. As a Trinity student, he was a member of the National Honor Society and the Biology, German and Science clubs. Additionally, he began and directed the Astronomy Club.

Sam also was a talented soccer player and did much for Trinity Soccer as a student, coach and alumnus. At the time, soccer was relatively new to Louisville, and Sam was a pioneer in its development as a mainstream sport. He served as Trinity's coach/player his junior and senior years, helped develop soccer as a varsity sport at Trinity and was named to the All-State third team his senior year. Sam also was instrumental in starting a city-wide soccer league for residents of Louisville's orphan programs.

While an undergraduate student in the pre-medical program at the University of Louisville, Sam served as Trinity's assistant soccer coach his freshman year while earning a starting spot and varsity letter on the U of L soccer team. Approached by a few players at the suggestion of then-athletic director Rev. Harry Jansing H'92, Sam was offered and accepted the job of head soccer coach at Trinity and served for four years. Twice he was named Kentucky Soccer Coach of the Year (1972 and 1974) and twice Trinity finished second in the state (1972 and 1975). The team posted a 39-15-6 record under Sam's tutelage.

In 1974, Sam earned a bachelor's degree in biology with honors from U of L and then attended medical school there, graduating in 1979. In 1986, he finished his general surgical residency at Abington Memorial Hospital outside Philadelphia, Pa., and four years later completed a trauma/surgical critical care fellowship at Cooper Hospital University Medical Center in Camden, N.J. In 1986, his formal medical education completed, Sam chose to serve his Native American community by electing to work as active duty military in the Indian Health Service rather than choosing the greater financial rewards of private medical practice. For 20 years, he worked as general surgeon in the Indian Health Service at hospitals in Phoenix, Ariz.; Supai, Ariz.; Claremore, Okla.; Tahlequah, Okla.; and Gallup, N.M. He also served as deputy chief of surgery and deputy chief of staff at the Phoenix Indian Medical Center and as chief of surgery and chief of staff at Claremore Indian Hospital.

Additionally, Sam is legendary for his ability to teach both medical students and residents. He is a very active member in the Association of American Indian Physicians and was one of the most popular mentors to Native American medical and pre-medical students.

One of Sam's most notable professional efforts in a career spent providing medical care to the underserved was his role in Hurricane Katrina relief following the 2005 storm. Twice he voluntarily deployed to the Gulf region to provide surgical care and basic medical care in the most primitive of conditions. While serving in that capacity in St. Bernard Parish, La., which had been completely submerged by the storm, he was lauded for designing, organizing and establishing the medical clinic set up to replace the local hospital that was rendered unusable by the hurricane.

Sam has provided exemplary service to those he treats, in part due to his surgical skills, but more so because he is able to display his care for his patients by treating them as part of his family. He views medical care from the patient's perspective and has consistently worked to make their experience as calm and efficient as possible, while providing excellent medical care. He has always been a strong believer in informed consent for each patient and has been rewarded by their expressions of appreciation for his attention to their needs. For his work, Sam has received numerous local and national awards and commendations, including the 2005 "Role Model for Native American Youth" Award. This award was received for him by his wife, Jeanne, as Sam was on Hurricane Katrina relief duty and sleeping on a cot in Mississippi at the time of the ceremony.

At the time of his Hall of Fame induction, Sam had recently retired from the Indian Health Service and was continuing his work for his own tribe, serving as chairman of the Fort Sill Apache Gaming Commission.

Sam and his wife, Jeanne, have one child, Trevor Baker.

Inducted 2009

H- Hall of Fame

Sr. Jane Hall, S.C.N.

Mike Hamilton

Dave Hazelip

Dr. Debbie Heaverin

Tony Heitzman

Bob Heleringer

Alan Hennessey

Jack Hettinger

Roy Hill

L.J. "Todd" Hollenbach IV

John Hollenbach

Louis J. "Todd" Hollenbach III

Captain Sam Horton, M.D.

Bob Hublar