[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 24903-24904]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE LIFE OF ARMY SERGEANT NICK PATTERSON OF ROCHESTER, INDIANA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOE DONNELLY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 19, 2007

  Mr. DONNELLY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the courage, 
humility, compassion and selflessness of U.S. Army Sergeant Nicholas 
Patterson, native son of Rochester, Indiana. A member of the 1st 
Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne 
Division, Nick was killed on September 10, 2007 following a raid in 
western Baghdad in a tragic accident involving the armored truck in 
which Nick was riding. Nearing the end of the most dangerous assignment 
of his second deployment to Iraq, Nick left us to mourn a life lived to 
the fullest.
  Like many people in the Army, Nick was a skilled athlete. A 2001 
graduate of Rochester High School, he led his basketball team in 
scoring his senior year and played second base for the baseball team, 
proudly wearing number ten in both sports. His former teacher, Rob 
Malchow, said, ``Nick had such an outgoing personality. He had so much 
energy that you had to get to know him.''
  When Nick joined the army shortly after graduation from high school, 
he set his sights on being a paratrooper. He was thrilled to be part of 
the storied 82nd Airborne Division and treasured the camaraderie of his 
men, his brothers. His widow, Jayme, said Nick was ``very, very proud 
to be in the unit he was in,'' which he described as ``high-speed.'' 
Fellow soldier Sgt. Blake Bagbay noted, ``Nick could always be counted 
on to pick you up and make you smile. His concern for his soldiers and 
friends will be missed by all.''
  Nick and Jayme shared their love with a four-year-old son, Reilly, 
and he valued the daily contact with his family by phone, e-mail, and 
even Web cam. If nothing else, he made sure to e-mail Jayme every day, 
and even if it was short, he said what mattered, ``I love you.''
  Nick was also close to his father, Jim, whom he affectionately called 
Pops. Father and son

[[Page 24904]]

shared a love of the Chicago Cubs, the Indianapolis Colts, Indiana 
University basketball and fishing in Nyona Lake. Sharing in the grief 
of their loss are Nick's mother and stepfather, Jane and Scott Holmes, 
his stepmother Virginia Patterson, sister, Tai Johnson, and step-
brother Kyle McLochlin as well as the close knit community of 
Rochester.
  According to Nick's family, the Army helped him grow up, become more 
focused, and develop into a leader who earned admiration for his 
toughness, yet showed compassion. His father noted that Nick didn't 
want to be a hero to anybody, except for his son and his family. Today, 
I recognize Nick as a hero to us all, a brave man, respected by his 
peers, loved by his family and friends, devoted to his duty. Jim 
expressed it well, ``I'm just so proud. He's a hero. But it hurts.'' I 
echo those words as I recognize the honor the Nation holds for Nick, 
yet at the same time, acknowledge our grief. May God bless Nick, his 
family, his fellow soldiers, and his fellow countrymen as we share this 
collective sorrow.

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