A friend reflects

My heart is with you.

Paddy was born most definitely for a purpose and in what a mighty and courageous way
did he fulfill it. I can't even imagine all those that he touched and changed along his path. I think
about all the patients and service people in the medical field that he must have impacted. It was like having a disciple right here on earth with us. What genuine love, levity and passion he had...such gusto and utter drive for every moment of life. We go through our days so passively and numb to things - he showed us that there was greatness and opportunity in every moment.

I was reminded the other day while me and a friend were talking about him about one night when we were all studying in the top of the Hankamer Business School. You could hear a pin drop because of the pressure before exams. There was a piano in the corner. And without telling anyone, Patrick just calmly walked over to it, lifted the cover of the keys and started pounding out "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey (I think it's the only song he ever knew how to play
on the piano). Then he looked up over the keys at all of the glares and said, "What?! I have a piano
final." Laughter erupted from all of the KOTs and girls in the room. He was so adored. All the guys
wanted to be just like him and all the girls wanted to marry him.

He and I use to go to Denny's about once a semester and sit and talk for hours into the early morning. Me, a little freshman, going to eat with Patrick - the most popular and liked guy in the fraternity. What in the world would a guy like that want to spend 3 hours in a Denny's with a freshman for, but he would do it. And all of my friends have those same memories -
they're not just mine. He made time for everyone.

Perhaps that’s one of the biggest reasons he was so loved. What an example of Christ. Patrick sought out everyone - and made them feel like they were his best friend...just like Jesus calling to Zacheus or telling his disciples to let the children come or let the blind man through the crowd.

I have found another verse that made me think about
Patrick and I wanted to share it with you. Isaiah 57: 1-2
"The righteous perish and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death."
"the righteous are taken away" and "enter into peace. Glory to God that He called Patrick to such great works on earth and then gave him rest and peace.

I run everyday now, in between my reading for school, and there is this particularly steep hill right at the end of my jog...it's horrible. And every time I go up it, I think about how Patrick would run up it. He would push up that hill so ferociously and with abandon. He never did not give his all...it just wasn't in the cards...he was 100%, 100% of the time. Praise God for giving us Patrick.

I love you and pray that your aches for him would be a sweet gift from God...a reminder and knowing of your beautiful love for your family and theirs' for you.
Some people never know loss like you have because they never knew love like you have.

He couldn't have been who he was without a mother and father like you and John, and a brother like Thomas.

J. E.