Patrick Edwin Mahany
Flight for Life-Colorado
Lakewood, Colorado
Patrick had a zest for life and did all of his activities with passion and exuberance – whether hiking, skiing, water skiing, soccer, watching the Denver Broncos, or driving his sports cars.
Knowing he would be drafted, Patrick joined the US Army and graduated flight school in 1970. During his one tour in Vietnam he flew 1200 combat hours. He was shot down three times and earned a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.
He embodied the spirit of service to others, whether it be his crew and colleagues, whom he greatly loved, or the people he and his crew worked to save daily. He was not only a skilled pilot from years of experience, but was also a trusted one with each crew member who had full confidence in his skill and abilities.
On July 3, 2015, Patrick traded his rotor wings for angel’s wings when his helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff. It is believed that his life ended the same way he spent much of it – trying to save lives. His skilled hands, along with God’s, kept the aircraft away from crowds on the ground when it went down.
Patrick’s legacy will endure forever; it’s a legacy forged in helping others, something he was born to do.
Honored 2016