Submitted by his sister, Christina Cangemi
What Patrick was like
He was so smart. He was extremely passionate about the things he cared about. He loved comic books, astronomy, baseball, “Game of Thrones.” His friends and family meant the world to him, and he loved them fiercely. He was a caring brother, son, uncle and friend.
Patrick was always playing pranks
He was a big kid at heart. And he was gross! One time he shaved his head and left his hair in family members’ beds. He would hide in the closet and jump out to scare you. He’d wait until you went to sleep and then set things up all around you. At one point, he told our sister to go into school and ask a teacher if she remembered him, and said the teacher would only know him by this certain nickname. So she did, and it turned out he had never met the woman.
And he loved Nerf gun wars with his nephews. We have a picture of him in a Punisher mask from Christmas morning, wielding a Nerf gun. We’d be trying to cook dinner in the kitchen during family gatherings, and there would be all these Nerf missiles flying around, and it wasn’t the kids; it was him. His laugh was amazing.
How drugs became part of his life
Patrick broke his hand in a mosh pit at a Mudvayne concert. They’re a heavy metal band. He started taking painkiller pills. That’s how his addiction began. He was up to so many a day it started affecting his liver function.
He told us he had a problem, and I was stunned. He went to three rehab facilities over the next 14 years. He was on suboxone for many years. He fought for a long time.
How our relationship changed because of opioid-use disorder
He was not the same person. He was difficult to be around.
The last moment we shared
I last saw my younger brother on August 25, 2017. We had gotten together to watch Floyd Mayweather fight. He wasn’t feeling well and wasn’t going to come over, but then he did.
He was very spiritual toward the end of his life, and that night he gave me a religious medal, showing Mary and Jesus. We were Catholic, but I’m not sure he identified with that. He was definitely a Christian, though. We had a wonderful evening with family.
How Patrick died
He was living at home with my parents. He texted me a YouTube video that morning, when I was getting my kids’ school bags ready.
He was alone in his room for maybe 40 minutes, and when my parents went in to see him around lunchtime, he had already passed. It was an accidental overdose. At first, my mother thought he was joking.
If I could say one thing to Patrick right now it would be
I miss your laugh and being able to talk with you daily.
Patrick was always a Gentle Man around me……I miss seeing him in front of the building where he lived…..waving to me and saying hi and also looking up to the sky through his telescope from his balcony……being friends with his parents helps to keep his spirit alive?
Pat was real good friends with one of brothers when they were teenagers up until he passed. I always remember seeing him hanging out with my brothers at the house or playing basketball across the street. I remember the time spent with him. He was a cool person. Pat is truly missed.