"My dad taught us to be tough," Sami Cowsert said, "Do what you gotta do and don't complain."

Sami Cowsert has definitely had her share of tough times, but she continues to pick herself up each day and approach life with attitude and a sense of humor. Sami's secret is her 31-year-old daughter Tammi (nicknamed Bratzoid by Sami). "She keeps me smiling," Sami said, to which Tammi counters, "she keeps me smiling." The two are a team and they do everything together. Tammi is Sami's daughter and her friend.

Sami wrote a series of short stories for Tammi which starred her as the main character. They were published in three books entitled Sami and her Dragon. Sami received the Books and Authors Children's Book of the Year in 2007 for the first book. Currently her publisher is in talks with Disney and Cartoon Network. She is hoping that a deal will come through and she will able to retire and spend more time with Tammi.

Last December Tammi had a massive stroke due to a large tumor on her heart and died. Thankfully she was revived. Sami calls her "my little miracle." Tammi has inherited her mother's sense of humor and jokes that she has Joe Cocker syndrome since physical movement in her arm and right side in general is currently impaired due to the stroke.

Both Sami and Tammi have escaped their fates and conquered cancer and death. Even their new dog Cesar (named for the Cesar dog food mascot) escaped a kennel after being marked to be euthanized, but Sami said "No," and brought her home.

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Sami walks past one of the many eagles she has scattered about her home. The eagle represents freedom for her.