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Veterans' Stories Pat Favale Pat Favale was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and two Purple Hearts for his Army service in Vietnam, where he was critically injured. His story exemplifies courage and determination. He is an inspirational individual who is willing to share his experiences with the disabled veterans of today. After graduating from Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC in 1968, Pat was ready and eager to embark on what should have been a promising and rewarding career as a fashion illustrator, but instead was drafted into Army's 82nd Airborne and shortly thereafter was sent to fight in the jungles of Vietnam. Christmas Eve, 1969 while on patrol and handing out candy to children in a friendly village, two Vietcong sympathizers detonated a landmine. In the explosion's wake, Pat lay on the ground with 28 wounds, while many of his fellow soldiers and scores of children were injured, dying or dead. Pat spent the next year in a military hospital undergoing several operations in recuperated from his injuries. The most traumatic injury sustained was the paralysis of his right arm. Most devastating, since Pat was not only right handed, but a right handed artist. Pat spent the next year in a military hospital undergoing several operations and recuperating from his injuries. The most traumatic injury sustained was the paralysis of his right arm. Most devastating, since Pat was not only right handed, but a right handed artist. Upon his discharge from hospital, he married his fiancee Barbara, whom he met prior to going to Vietnam and had proposed 3 days after they met. For the next year and a half Pat and new wife worked through a lengthy and difficult rehab and recuperation period. When strong enough he enrolled at CW Post College in NY and after much hard work, lots of frustration and great determination, he taught himself to draw, paint and sculpt again with his left hand. Pat graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor's in Fine Arts and went on to teach art in middle school for two years, until his job was downsized due to budget shortfalls. With a mortgage, new twin boys and bills, he put his art career on hold and entered the corporate world. Pat enjoyed a successful and rewarding career as a corporate executive until the tech bubble bust. Like many others who were downsized he found himself without a job for the first time in 24 years. After trying unsuccessfully to find another job, Pat decided to pursue a marketing consulting career. On the morning of 9/11/2001, as Pat watched the horrific events unfold live before his eyes on TV, he was shaken to the core with grief and anger. In an effort to express his emotions, Pat sat down at his worktable and poured out his feelings. Moments later he had created a patriotic design that would forever memorialize this event. This was the first time in 26 years Pat was moved to draw and express his feelings. The event forever changed Pat. On that day, he put his consulting career on the shelf and with the loving support of Barbara, his wife of 31 years, refocused his life on expressing his feelings and emotions through his gift and love for drawing. Pat is now an accomplished portrait artist and art instructor. He resides with his wife in St. Augustine, Florida. Donate Online! Click HERE. |
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