Spc. 4 Patrick Lay II: Everyone's Hero

Against a sky painted in shades of blue, pink and orange, vehicles parked along a sidewalk lined with miniature American flags along 44th Drive East in the Wallingford subdivision.

Neighbors and friends approached on foot and fell silent on either side of the street as a busload of members from Life Covenant Sanctuary church piled out to pray for the family of Spc. 4 Patrick Lay II outside his mother’s home Aug. 15.

And in moments, candlelight began to flicker against a blackened sky — lights to remember Lay, a Braden River High School graduate who was killed Aug. 11 after the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All Terrain Vehicle he was riding in rolled over an improvised explosive device in the southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan. Lay was among five soldiers from the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division who died in the attack.

“This is a great show of support for a young man (who changed) lives — a young man who made the ultimate sacrifice,” said the Rev. Dale Eason, Lay’s uncle and pastor of Life Covenant. “Our family is hurting. This incredible void is not going to be easily filled, but we have a strong faith in God.

“Patrick may be gone from this earth, but he’ll never be taken from our hearts,” Eason said.

ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
Lay graduated from Braden River in 2008, making history as part of the Pirates’ first graduating class. Principal Jim Pauley said Lay was active in FFA and played football for the school.

“He was always active in anything we did,” Pauley recalled. “(If we needed something done,) he’d jump in and do it, laughing and smiling. Serving the country, that fit perfectly with him.”

Lay, 21, joined the U.S. Army in September 2009 and was deployed in March 2011 with his unit in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was engaged to his high school sweetheart, Joann Steiff, and the couple had planned to marry in August 2012.

“(Joann) always talked about him,” said Samantha Glodde, 20, a friend of the couple. “I was the only girl in (my drafting class with Patrick). ... I just remember how crazy and goofy he was.”

A memorial Facebook page is filled with photos, videos and words praising Lay’s life.

Friends and family describe Lay as young man who loved to laugh, and make others laugh, even at his own expense. He was an “all-American boy,” who spoke politely with “yes ma’ams” and “no ma’ams” and helped others in every way he could.

“He was a handsome kid,” said Life Covenant member Fred Rodriguez, who knew Lay for more than 18 years. “I watched him grow. He was my hero. He is everyone’s hero. He was a good friend and a good brother.”

Life Covenant member Robin Rodriguez, who attended the vigil, said she’d only met Lay a few times at church.

“He was a very respectful man,” Rodriguez said. “Like they say — a very all-American boy. Honorable. We lost a good one.”

Staff Sgt. Michael Linnemeier, who served in Lay’s platoon, was home on leave at the time of the attack and was on his way back to Afghanistan at the time of Monday’s vigil.

“(Patrick) was one of those people who could lighten up any situation,” he said. “He had a natural ability to be a leader. Whenever he said something, the other guys would listen to what he had to say.”
Lay, he said, was funny and laid-back but also was competitive.

“During touch football games during (our) down time, he didn’t like to be on the losing team,” Linnemeier said. “He’d (urge the guys) to keep playing, hoping his team would come out victorious. Sometimes, they’d play until it was so dark you couldn’t see anymore.

“It made him a good soldier,” he said. “He couldn’t stand it when somebody was better at something than him, and he would work at it until he could do it better than (them).”

Lay’s grandfather, Ben Eason, reminisced about taking his grandson fishing, picking him up from school, paying a few of his speeding tickets and even giving him his first vehicle — a Ford Expedition that required about $80 in gas per tank.

He spoke to Lay by phone just two weeks before the attack.

“The last words he said to me was, ‘I love you, Papa,’” Ben Eason said. “I’m going to miss him. What a price to pay for freedom.”

HONORING A HERO
As of press time Tuesday, Lay’s family was still waiting to receive Lay’s remains.

A funeral service tentatively has been scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Aug. 20, at Life Covenant Sanctuary, 5428 39th St. E., Bradenton. A visitation and viewing will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., Aug. 19, at the church, as well.

Lay’s awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, which he earned following an explosion in May, as well as the Army Commendation Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].

Click here to view a slideshow of Lay's vigil.