KNOXVILLE, TN, USA U.S. Army PFC, COMPANY C, 1ST BATTALION, 12TH INFANTRY, 4 BCT, FORT CARSON, CO MUSHAN, AFGHANISTAN 08/01/2009
When Private First Class Patrick Fitzgibbon walked into the room, those in his company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Patrick was and how he impacted those around him. Patrick was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Patrick wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Patrick was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve him well throughout his life.
Patrick was born on March 30, 1990 at University of Tennessee Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was the son of Donald and Trish Fitzgibbon. Patrick was raised in Tennessee and Indiana. Always at the ready with a good joke, he grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Patrick might describe him as an idealist, his friends and family understood well that Patrick was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to him.
Patrick was raised with five siblings. He had an older brother, John, three younger brothers, Trent, Ryan and Joseph, and one younger sister, Abby. Patrick was very accepting and supportive of his family. He was perceived as the central person in his family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Patrick was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Patrick well in his adult life and, along with his wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew him.
As a young boy, Patrick was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew him into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Patrick was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with his peers. He was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. Patrick took part in baseball. In his spare time he liked drawing, making short films and skateboarding. Patrick had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity he and the many childhood friends he shared might discover.
With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought him an endless stream of friends, Patrick was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, Patrick was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. He always seemed aware of what was going on with people around him and throughout his life he made many, many friends. Later in life, he became friends with Steven Fitzgibbon, Larry Miller and Robert Kirkland.
Because Patrick loved to have a broad variety of activities in his life, he took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. His favorite pursuits were video games, skateboarding and playing his guitar. Patrick had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of his favorite pastimes. However, Patrick’s ever-present concern for others always took precedent.
There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Patrick. He was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. He had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While he was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Patrick Fitzgibbon for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Patrick was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with his loved ones.