Help Patrick take a breath!

Patrick is a dear friend who has always helped others and the community so much through his roles as father, friend, neighbor, and mentor. Most will know him as the longtime president of the city’s youth baseball and softball organization. He was so dedicated to the people and the work that he did, that he remembers the names of everyone that he gets to know and trust me there are hundreds if not thousands of you out there. He has raised a fine young man in his son Jensen who I have gotten to know over the years and that is his pride and joy who is going to be a senior in high school this year. Patrick can engineer almost anything you can think of and can repair anything. He is super smart but tends to think outside the conventional box and is all about making sure others have a good time (sometimes at his own expense). He is always positive and a great motivator and has a great amount of patience probably from coaching all these kids all these years. His interests are varying. He likes to restore older vehicles from the ground up and work on his Jeep. He also likes to pickle and can food which he gives as gifts and for himself (on the renal diet this has all changed). He loves coaching sports and watching baseball. He also tutors physics and math students, just to name a few of the many different areas he wanders into.

Patrick was diagnosed with TMS, a rare autoimmune disorder that affects the kidneys and led to End Stage Renal Disease. Since his kidneys are no longer functioning properly, he requires dialysis and has been put on a transplant list. Also diagnosed were some other health complications with his cardiovascular and pulmonary systems as well.

Patrick is currently working to get on the list to receive a kidney, he is currently on dialysis daily, and he has gone from 230lbs to roughly 180lbs in just a few weeks. He worked out all the time and was very active however he is limited to what he can do now. Last year he donated all his older smaller clothes to a homeless shelter and now has no clothes or suits that fit him correctly and doesn't have the money to go create a new wardrobe.

Unfortunately, there is more to the story. He was part of a big tech layoff (almost 20 years in IT Management) earlier this year and has been working to find a new job but the search has not produced any results yet. A few weeks after being laid off he went to a local clinic because he wasn’t feeling right,. There he was transferred to the ER and spent a total of 15 days in the ICU while they got him diagnosed and fixed up to be able to go home. Shortly after he started dialysis at a clinic and then his house. Since he didn’t have any insurance at this time the medical bills started to add up. Within the last month, worse news befell him. His AC unit had to have some major work done (in the Texas summer heat no less), and his water heater went out as did his dishwasher.

You can only imagine the strain on relationships, a pocketbook, and family obligations when there is no income coming in currently. In medical bills alone he owes in the middle six-figure range. Luckily his new insurance coverage started on 7/1/23 but from 4/8-6/30/23 he had no such coverage. The site asked for a specific number so I put something generic down but everything will help.

We all know how much Patrick loved his white Jeep and how many times he persuaded people to go jump in the driver seat and take off, just to find out they would jump in, and no steering wheel in front of them since it was right-hand drive. He was a real joker, and that was just one of the things he loved about that vehicle and that makes him a unique person

Well, unfortunately, this past week, he sold his Jeep to stay afloat and keep the lights on and I know this is killing him since it was his toy/baby. I know he is trying to sell anything he owns to keep things going for him and his son, but it is wearing him down.

Let’s help Patrick get through this patch until he can get his kidney, find employment and not have to worry about relocating because he lost his house. He has been working with limited means to get his house ready to sell but currently has no backup plan for him and his son to stay somewhere else. He is physically limited to what he can and can’t do and this is making the process longer. He is attempting to paint and touch up cosmetically his house in hopes of maximizing the return if he has to sell.

What is the donation that you can afford?

If you can’t afford to donate money, donate your time and give back to the local community in one way or the other, these are his wishes. Patrick is selfless, he is a great friend to have on your side, and he is as loyal of a person, and as genuine of a person as you’ve ever met, I’m sure of it.

Thank you for your support and for helping one of the great people and one of the best friends I’ve ever had.

Thanks for your support,

Heith Hodges