A year after killing, parents still grieve son buried in Ravens jersey
It's been nearly a year since 19-year-old Patrick Dolan was stabbed to death while walking along Juneway in Belair Edison. Police haven't made an arrest in the case, and his parents are trying to renew some publicity to help them grieve and bring closure.
This was the young man who went to his final resting place wearing not a suit, but the No. 21 jersey of the Ravens cornerback, Lardarius Webb. It was Dolan's prized possession, and he had worn it just once before he was killed about 10:45 a.m. on Nov. 23, 2010, in a robbery in Northeast Baltimore's Belair-Edison.
Patrick Dolan was the city's 200th slaying of last year, and Webb and other players signed a ball for the family, who are big Ravens fans. The mother, Geraldine, has sent letters to the paramedics who treated her son, to the mayor and to the people living on and around Juneway. There are tribute pages on Facebook and a basketball tournament in his honor. The photo, with the ball signed by Webb, is from the family.
The mother wrote me:
"A reality of never getting over Patrick's death, but hopeful we will get through. A reality, we believe, many do not understand. Our faith and Patrick's spirit will keep us grounded, no doubt. But we live each day with a pain that seems to have no cure. Personally, an aching in my heart that never goes away, a weight so heavy in my chest, no human could ever lift, and a feeling of emptiness in my soul that only my first born child could fill. Yet our hearts are still beating and we have become living proof, it is possible to survive with a broken heart.
"My husband and I know we are being guided by a strength that is not humanly possible. We promised to keep believing more than ever for each other and for our children's sake. We also want to share with others who have lost a child what we are learning in our recovery of Grief, 'Our love did not end the day our children died, We will always love them no matter where they are.'"
Here is a tribute that a friend wrote for Patrick.
Here is the story that I wrote a year ago on the burial and an interview with Webb.
Below are some of the letters Patrick's parents sent out:
To the Baltimore Fire Department paramedics, Mathew Fifer and John Brinkley:
"Your efforts in getting to our son and helping him best you could will be with us always. Sadly Patrick did not make it through the heart surgery but the doctors assured us Patrick fought very hard and that it was a miracle he did not die instantly. They couldn’t explain how he was still alive when he arrived at the hospital, especially with two punctures to his heart.
With every ones efforts to save Patrick’s life that day, and a reason beyond my understanding, he passed away. But we believe in our hearts, Patrick knew he was with those who wanted to help him. And he was not alone. As his mother, that means more to me than words could ever explain. The last 9 months have been very hard for our family, but we realize the many who reached out to support us in any way they could. In our eyes, you were the first ones to do that. Thank you again."
To Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake:
"We are from Baltimore and lived here 16 years of Patrick's life, but never imagined my son's vibrant life would be taken at the age of 19 by someone with no regard for life at all. It has been
heart breaking for our family, but sadder to see in our youth, no message of a better way of living it seems. I am sure there are programs in place for youth in Baltimore but during my grieving, I thought, could there be a way I could possibly make a difference by sharing what happened to Patrick and the pain our family, Patrick's father, his brothers, his sister, and hundreds of family and friends, have been dealing with since this tragedy occurred."
To the people who live on and around Juneway:
"I WAS VERY ANGRY AND KEPT ASKING HOW COULD SO MUCH EVIL BE IN THIS WORLD AND HOW THE FATE OF MY SON, (JUST VISITING BALTIMORE THAT MORNING TO VISIT WITH A FRIEND), ENDED HIS LIFE. I FELT HATRED TOWARD BALTIMORE AND THE PEOPLE IN IT WHEN THIS HAPPENED, AND I LOOKED FOR EVERY BAD THING I COULD FIND TO TRY AND MAKE SENSE OF IT ALL. BUT I CAN’T!
THEN I WAS REMINDED OF PATRICK’S BEAUTIFUL SMILE, HIS ZEST FOR LIFE AND HOW HE BROUGHT OUT THE POSITIVE IN EVERYTHING ABOUT HIS LIFE, BOTH GOOD AND BAD. HE
NEVER HATED ANYONE, ESPECIALLY NOT THE CITY THAT WAS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR
FAMILY, A PLACE WE SHARED ENDLESS MEMORIES, AND IN SPITE OF THIS HORRIFIC
TRAGEDY, A PLACE PATRICK WAS SO PROUD OF AND MADE COUNTLESS FRIENDS OF ALL
NATIONALITIES. PATRICK LOVED THIS CITY AND THE MEMORIES OUR FAMILY SHARED THROUGH THE YEARS. I REALIZE I CAN’T LET ANYTHING KILL THE SPIRIT OF MY DEAR SON.
PATRICK WAS A FIRM BELIEVER IN FORGIVING, NOT TO JUDGE OTHERS, AND WOULD HELP
ANYONE HE COULD. I MAY NEVER FIND THE REASON THIS HAPPENED OR UNDERSTAND THE
MOTIVES BEHIND THOSE RESPONSIBLE. BUT I HAVE TO BELIEVE IT IS NOT FOR ME TO
JUDGE, OR WISH HARM UPON THEM. I CAN ONLY PRAY FOR US ALL AND TRY TO FIND
PEACE WITHIN MYSELF SO I WILL BE ABLE TO SPEND ETERNITY WITH PATRICK WHEN I
LEAVE THIS WORLD. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE PRAY FOR PATRICK, OUR FAMILY AND THOSE
WHO HAVE LOST THEIR WAY, WE WOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL. God Bless You
Comments
Iam so sorry for the loss of your son and the many other people that lost there loved ones in baltimore past and present.It makes me sick that all the good people in baltimore have to live in fear every day no matter were you are.The police deparment has had cut backs to save the city money but nothing has been done for us to even protect our selfs because the truth is the police cannot protect us they can only react in time to fill out the crime report to little way to late and then anybody who witnessed the crime becomes blind they didnt see anything.So the point i am trying to make is i often wounder what the out come might have been if the victim could have protected them selfs after all our city officals have there protection and the thing that amazes me is that we the tax payers pay for there protection.Who do they think there kidding this is getting old people are having there very lives taken from them almost every day.Again i am so sorry for your loss.
Posted by: Local resident | November 19, 2011 8:19 AM