Father of Air Force airman who died in Alamodome fall has broken his silence
The father of the tragic Air Force Sergeant who fell to his death during a college football game revealed his son had been anticipating the demonstration for over a year.
John Patterson explained his son had missed out on the opportunity to take part the previous year, so when he found out he had been picked for this year, he was overjoyed, reports the US Sun.
Air Force veteran and father of two, Tech. Sgt. Ian Patterson died after falling 170 feet from the rafters of the Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas on Saturday October 17.
He was one of four personnel taking part in a rappelling exercise in front of the stadium filled with 23,000 people during the University of Texas at San Antonio annual Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans celebration.
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The Associated Press said he descended rapidly to the ground. Emergency staff rushed to the scene of the incident, but he was later pronounced dead.
His father explained how his son was motivated by love for his country.
“I was very excited. I believe he wanted to do it last year as well,” John told Fox affiliate WDRB.
“He didn’t do it last year. So this year he had the opportunity.”
John continued, “He loved the Air Force. He joined right out of high school, and that’s what he wanted.”
He described how military service was a tradition of his family, with Ian growing up while moving between military bases and eventually joining up like his father before him.
“He knew that the military would give him a solid career and a solid base, and give him discipline and integrity,” he said.
John said Ian was a devoted husband to wife Niki, and father to his two boys aged 3 and 6 - and recalled his love of baseball, having visited Major League stadiums across the north-eastern US.
He wanted the world to remember him as a kind and dedicated family man.
“I just want to let people know that he was a wonderful man,” John said.
“I love him.”
The investigation into Ian’s death is ongoing.
ABC affiliate KSAT reported that Ian’s friends had gathered at a memorial to him on Tuesday evening at the Stout House, near Culebra.
A friend of Ian’s, Breanna Valdez told KSAT, “It hurt. I didn’t want to believe it at first.
“My heart broke really bad. It still hurts.”
Another friend, Tyler Hsu, said, “I want him to be remembered most as, for one, a soldier; for two, a great friend; three, a family man — family man most of all.
Hsu said he expected his friend to walk into the bar at any moment.
“I could have sworn you would have shown up later tonight anyway,” he said.
He added that knowing Ian would never return was particularly painful.
“You were so loved. You are going to be so missed,” Hsu said.
A GoFundMe page has raised over $130,000 for Patterson’s family, according to KSAT.
Michael D. Carroll