Patrick Joseph Fay III was many things – father, husband, son, brother, grandson, uncle, nephew, friend, among others. He was proud to be all of those, but he was more than just a handful of titles.
If you were to meet Patrick, his humor and compassion would likely be the first things you’d notice. Get to know him a little better, and you would also find that he was smart, loving, empathetic, and even a little bit stubborn, yet one of the most kind-hearted men you’d ever meet.
Even without talking to Patrick, it was easy to see his pride for his Irish heritage. Whether he was at home watching ESPN wearing one of his many Notre Dame t-shirts, working at the local homeless shelter in some shade of green, or out for a nice dinner with his gold claddough ring, it seemed he was always sporting something relating to Ireland. If he happened to not be wearing any of those things, he had his shamrock and Celtic knot tattoo on his arm.
When planning to make this quilt block, it didn’t take long to decide on a shamrock. I chose this design specifically because, just like Patrick’s personality, this shamrock is made of several little pieces and facets that make it special and different from any others.
Although we miss all those little things which made him who he was, it is comforting to know Patrick’s legacy lives on through our cherished memories, as well as the impact his cornea and tissue donations have had on their recipients. He would have been just as proud of that as he was of his Irish heritage.
-Aimee Fay