Patrick’s Legacy
As a little boy Patrick always wanted to join the Marine Corp. He would dress up and play “Marine”.
He wanted to join right after high school. But as his mother, I urged him to attend college and go in as an officer. He was not interested in school and just wanted to pursue his dream.
He wanted to serve his country and experience the life of a Marine. He assured me once done with his service he would go back to school and become a teacher. He loved teaching.
Patrick learned to swim at the age of 3 and was an avid swimmer. He loved being in the water. He joined his first swim club at the age of 6 and swam competitively most of his young life. In 2010, Patrick made the qualification to swimming in the Junior Olympics.
Patrick also played both club and high school water polo and really enjoyed being part of the team and the fast-hard-hitting pace and aggressiveness of the sport.
Whether freshwater or saltwater, Patrick enjoyed being in the water. During the summers he participated in the Ventura County Junior Lifeguard program and just loved the ocean and having the sand between his toes. At age 10 he earned his PADI certificate and enjoyed diving.
He also spent endless days looking for that perfect wave with his friends and dad, surfing long into the evening, just waiting for that perfect ride.
Patrick taught children swim lessons at the local community pool and enjoyed teaching others to swim. His students loved him. Many of the families who he taught were devastated of the news of his passing.
Patrick died from complications of the common cold. It’s painful to know negligent US Navy medical care, poor Marine Corps leadership decisions led to his death. Disgustingly, the truth of what really happened to Patrick has been tainted by a false and misleading official NCIS document and narrative. So far there has not been any type of accountability.
If you served onboard Marine Recruit Depot San Diego (March 2018) or were a Marine or recruit during the time period that Patrick was stationed onboard MCRD San Diego and have any information please contact us at saveourservicemembersorg@gmail.com or (805) 530-5899.
He was an incredible big brother to his sister Kate who also loves the water and an incredible son with so much ahead of him.
In his honor and for his passion for the water, we established the Patrick Vega Swim Scholarship.
Patrick’s legacy of teaching others to swim is a legacy of life. The scholarship provides swim lessons for those who cannot afford to pay and it also sponsors young men and women to become lifeguards.
Patrick continues to give back to his community as well as saving lives.
“As endless as the ocean, as timeless as the tides our love for Patrick will always be.”
Remembering Patrick
