Samantha Smith was an American schoolgirl and peace activist born on June 29, 1972, in Hallowell, Maine. She gained international attention in 1982 when, at the age of 10, she wrote a letter to Yuri Andropov, the General Secretary of the Soviet Union, expressing her concerns about nuclear war. Her letter prompted a response and led to her being invited to visit the Soviet Union. During her visit in 1983, Samantha met with various leaders and participated in discussions about peace. She became a symbol of hope and understanding during the Cold War era. Tragically, she died in a plane crash on August 25, 1985, at the age of 13.