Patrick's Bio

Patrick Donnellys Biography

Patrick Eugene Donnelly was born on November 17, 1981 in Jacksonville, Florida. His
father Patrick D. Donnelly was a Naval Officer from Chicago Illinois and his mother
Kathleen A. (Horrigan) was from Holliston, Massachusetts.

At the age of two they almost lost Patrick. After making it through a high risk pregnancy,
Patrick appeared to be a very healthy and a happy youngster. However, during a routine
doctors visit, the doctor discovered a lump in his abdomen; within hours he was
undergoing exploratory surgery at Wolfson Children's Hospital. After two surgeries
lasting a total of twenty-one hours, Patrick made a miraculous recovery and was home
within weeks.

His recovery period was a chance for his mother to continue reading to him, as she had
done throughout his young life. This quickly developed into Patrick's own passion for
reading and learning everything he could about the world around him.

Later this passion developed into Patrick's desire to write, and his dream of being
published. The depth of Patrick's imagination was evident in his writing. He had the gift of
feeling the emotions of others and the ability to express those emotions in his writing.
Patrick's stories are fiction based on historical facts.

When Patrick was seven years old, he moved to Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Sturbridge
very quickly became Patrick's home town. Starting second grade in Sturbridge was a
thrill to him, meeting new people and gaining new life- long best friends. Patrick was a
distinguished student at Tantasqua Regional High School, and was very active and
engaged in extra-curricular activities; Chorus, Student Council, Track and Field, Mr.
Tantasqua contest and then Football in his senior year. Basketball was his passion from
fourth grade through twelfth grade, he made the Varsity team in his sophomore year and
was team Captain senior year. Patrick played AAU basketball every spring and on a
traveling AAU team every summer.

Patrick chose to continue his studies at Westfield State College because they offered a
history degree with a minor in education. When Patrick went to college his outgoing
personality really shined. He made friends with people from all walks of life. Pat knew
everybody, and everybody knew Pat. He graduated from Westfield State College in 2005
with a B.A. in History.

Patrick's home town friends and college friends very quickly got to know each other
because of Patrick's ability to share his friendships with everyone. When he was around
there were no strangers, just friends who had not met yet. His inclusive attitude gave
everyone he encountered a feeling of security in his presence.

Patrick was invited to attend the CSX train dispatcher classes in Jacksonville, Florida
and was one of the youngest ever to complete their training program. After completing
the program he chose to return to teaching, and worked as a substitute in the Duval
County School System. In early September, he made the decision to return to
Massachusetts to attend school to earn his teaching certificate. Patrick was killed on
September 26, 2008 in Jacksonville, Florida.

Patrick E. Donnelly was murdered 9/26/08 while driving his car in Jacksonville, FL. A
rear seat passenger shot him in the head killing him. The murderer was arrested the next
day and found guilty by a jury on 4/8/09 and sentenced to life without parole on 5/8/09.

Patrick was laid to rest in St. Anne's Cemetery Sturbridge, MA after the funeral Mass on
10/01/08. That very same day the idea to continue Patricks Memory was created by his
friends and family.