Friends inspired to honor Cal U grad McIlvain

He died this week after being severely wounded while serving in Afghanistan in 2010.

A California University of Pennsylvania (now PennWest) graduate and Uniontown native who was critically wounded while serving in Afghanistan 14 years ago never stopped having an impact on those around him.

Pat McIlvain, was shot in the head in May 2010, leaving him blind and brain damaged. The injuries left him in a wheelchair and in constant need of therapy and other medical care, and he was moved from the polytrauma unit at the Richmond Veterans Administration hospital to a private facility, Learning Services in North Carolina. He died on Monday.

“He initially had some dramatic improvements, even walking with a walker and showing more awareness. Then he had a seizure,” said his uncle, John McIlvain of Fredericksburg, Va. “It’s been a slow but definitely steady decline. The last five years or more he’s been completely in a wheelchair.”

John McIlvain said his nephew never lost his awareness of the people around him.

Despite Pat’s setbacks, his friends and family remained in constant contact and formed a nonprofit organization, The Pat Mac Fund, Inc., to help others in his name.

Christopher Semans, Pat’s college friend and roommate who now lives in Phoenixville, Pa., near Philadelphia, along with Pat’s childhood friend Ryan Fiano, are the founders and administrators of the nonprofit. It started as a scholarship fund for JROTC students at Laurel Highlands High School, Pat’s alma mater.

“We tailored it for kids like Pat,” Semans said.

The scholarship isn’t based on grades. Applicants need a 2.5 grade point average, but they must let the foundation know how JROTC affected their life and what they are doing to give back to their community.

The foundation has also purchased a handicapped-accessible van to transport Fayette County veterans and has established a veterans assistance program through the Fayette County Community Foundation.

John McIlvain said Pat was in his second tour in Afghanistan when he was wounded. Between his two tours, Pat visited with his uncle and talked about how much he enjoyed his mission in Afghanistan, which went far beyond the usual military duties.

“They were like pseudo-ambassadors,” John McIlvain said. “They were trying to promote schooling and reading. Here’s this kid from Uniontown, Pa., who goes halfway around the world and could make an impact. He loved what he was doing.”

Semans said Pat had a way of drawing people to him.

“Pat had a personality that you were just attracted to,” he said. “He was always joking around, even if you didn’t want to be joking around. He was just a kind, gentle soul.”

Pat and his friends were young, just starting out in their career and personal paths when he was wounded.

“It was a tough time because everyone we knew was moving on with their lives and getting married and I realized I owed it to him to continue to be there for him,” Semans said.

Semans recalled one visit he and other friends made early in the recuperation process before Pat was able to talk again. Semans said he and Pat used to goof around doing the “shake and bake” fist bump from the movie Talladega Nights, then explode their hands. “I asked Pat if he could do shake and bake. The second time, he did it and I knew the old Pat was coming back,” Semans said.

That special handshake became a focal point in Pat’s therapy. As Semans’ children were born and grew over the past 14 years, they would greet Pat with it when they would see him.

“I told Pat a lot about them. We were coming back from the beach and stopped to visit with him,” Semans recalled. “He came over in his wheelchair and gave them a toy, probably a fidget spinner.”

That first meeting left a lasting impression on the children, who now immediately think of him when they see a handicapped accessibility sign. When their school asked students to bring in photos of family members who were in the military or who had served, the children took pictures of Pat.

Hockey was a large part of Pat’s pre-military life and became part of his therapy, including outings to Pittsburgh Penguins games both when they played in North Carolina and annually in Pittsburgh. Over the past 14 years, Pat has gotten to know a number of the players personally.

“He couldn’t see the games, but being there and hearing all the crowd noise was exciting,” John McIlvain said. He never said no to anything. “He wanted to get out, whether it was to a restaurant or to a Penguins game.”

The trips to Pittsburgh were also beneficial to his caregivers from North Carolina who would accompany him.

“They got to see Patrick in a whole different light, with his friends and where he grew up,” John McIlvain said.

Pat also got to experience his favorite hockey players in a different way, including Penguins’ captain Sidney Crosby.

“This last visit Sid came up and said ‘Who’s this guy who came up from North Carolina?’ Pat immediately blurted out ‘It’s Sidney Crosby!’ He recognized his voice,” John McIlvain said.

Crosby sent personal condolences to the Pat Mac Fund through Fiano just hours after Pat’s death. He also issued a statement to the Mon Valley Independent expressing fond memories of McIlvain.

“I was fortunate to meet Pat shortly after he was wounded. He always brought a smile to my face. I will miss the annual visit from Pat, his family and friends,” Crosby said. “Pat will be remembered for the hero he was, and I am honored that I was able to call him my friend.”

John McIlvain said he was amazed at how quickly everyone responded to the news of Pat’s death.

“I remember Pat as a great person who was passionate about his family, his friends and hockey,” said Jamison Roth, a teammate on the California hockey team and currently director of campus recreation and emergency services coordinator at PennWest and Cal hockey team general manager.

Pat’s former team is collecting money today during its annual golf outing at Uniontown Country Club to benefit the Pat Mac Fund. The fund will be hosting a golf outing of its own Friday at the same location. Semans said the outing, which usually attracts 18 teams of four golfers, has 27 signed up this year.

“This will be our biggest outing,” Semans said.

It will also serve as part of the commemoration of Pat’s life.

“I’m very sad about losing Pat and I’m still trying to accept it. This will allow everyone to share their memories of Pat,” Semans said.

Semans said even though Pat’s death came less than two weeks before the golf outing, BeeGraphix, which is owned by one of Pat’s college fraternity brothers, modified this year’s golf outing T-shirts to commemorate his life. Semans said there are plans to offer additional shirts through the nonprofit organization’s website, https://thepatmacfund. org.

Semans said that Pat’s death won’t change the mission of the nonprofit, which will continue to assist veterans and provide scholarships.

“Pat would be doing this for any one of us,” Semans said. “That’s the type of person Pat was.”