Pastor Sam Collier Walks Beside His Father’s Body After Final Breath: “You Did Good, Dad”

Pastor, author and recording artist Sam Collier is mourning the death of the man who adopted him at birth and raised him as his own.

Collier announced that his father died at 4 p.m. Pacific Time at Adventist Health Portland after moving from intensive care to telemetry and finally into hospice care. He was 90 years old.

In an emotional Instagram post, Collier revealed that he remained beside his father throughout his final hours, surrounded by members of the family. After watching him take his last breath, the pastor walked alongside the hospital bed as staff moved his father from the room.

The heartbreaking moment left Collier with just one thought: "You did good, Dad."

"You did good," he repeated, before adding, "To God be the glory!"

The loss carries particular weight because Collier has spoken openly about the extraordinary role his adoptive parents played in his life. Collier and his twin sister, Sara, were adopted at birth and raised together in Atlanta. His father owned a barbershop near the city's historic Sweet Auburn district, and Collier has frequently credited his upbringing with shaping his understanding of faith, identity and purpose.

His family story later became central to his book and ministry message, A Greater Story. At the age of 24, Collier and Sara were reunited with their biological mother and siblings with help from Steve Harvey. Yet Collier has always made clear that the father who raised him was a defining presence in his life.

The pastor's tribute also revealed that his father is now reunited in heaven with his wife and siblings. Collier did not elaborate on his mother's death, but his reference to his dad going to be with "Mom" made the farewell even more poignant.

Collier reserved special praise for Sara, calling his twin sister "the hero" and thanking her for everything she had done during their father's final season. His words suggest that she carried a significant share of the responsibility as the family navigated his declining health and transition into hospice care.

For now, Collier says he has more to share but is too overwhelmed by grief to find the words. What he did share, however, was a deeply personal picture of a son accompanying his father as far as he possibly could-right to the hospital's final doorway.

"I love you, Dad," Collier wrote.