Jimi Patterson remembered by family and friends at candlelight service in Riverhead

Dozens candles flickered in the breeze on the Riverhead football field last night where grieving family and friends of James Patterson gathered to remember him and comfort each other with music, memories, laughter, tears and hugs.

Patterson, 22, whose young life was cut short by a random act of senseless violence in Tulsa, Oklahoma last month, was remembered as a kind, happy and fun-loving guy who did everything he could to make others happy. He loved his family and friends deeply. His great passion in life was his music.

Patterson’s sister, Alyssa Robichaud, organized the event, with the assistance of his father Robert Patterson. Visitors were invited to write messages on a white board, placed on an easel next to a portrait of Patterson, and write “notes to Jimi” on cards.

Rob Patterson shared memories of his son growing up, coaching Jimi’s soccer team, and trying to learn to play Yu-Gi-Oh!, a video game his son adored. “It’s a tricky game,” he said laughing at the memory of how difficult he found it.

“These are the good memories and when I get very sad, I think about this stuff,” Rob Patterson said. “When we think about Jimi we should think about stuff like this, like what moments did you have with him that are cool, not — we definitely won’t think about anything bad, or the end,” he said.

Rob Patterson, a musician, set up a sound system on the field and performed several songs, including “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art.” His friends, musicians Mike Porter and Nancy Hampton, also performed.

Several of Jimi’s friends took the microphone to share memories of the good times they had, often struggling to maintain their composure.

“I’ll always be thankful for the happy, joyful times,” said one young man at the microphone. He said grew up with Jimi, and described him as his “first friend” at Aquebogue Elementary School.

“Jimi lived every single day like it was his last on earth and I’m just happy that everybody could show so much love for him. Jimi was definitely a blessed kid, and he had a great father and a great mother, who loved him very much, along with the rest of his family,” he said.

“He was more than a friend to me. He was a brother, for real. Music has always been his passion,” recalled another friend.

“Jimi, Jimi, Jimi — where can I even start?” another friend said. “I met this kid, he was 12 years old. I was walking from the high school to the middle school and this little kid says, ‘Yo man you play Yu-Gi-Oh!’ That’s where the friendship really started,” he recalled. “We have so much memories together. It’s really hard. He really had a way of making you smile, making you happy and really showing you that you matter as a person,” he said. “For that I will always be appreciative of him. It really sucks that he’s gone, but he’s going to live on in all of our hearts, everyone who’s here,” he said.

“This is beautiful. This is all for Jimi, Jimbo Jones, Jimi Patterson, James Francis Patterson, baby bro,” Robichaud said. “Ever since Mom was pregnant with you, we were homies,” she said. “She would drop me off at school and I would kiss her goodbye and she would say, ‘kiss your brother,’ and I would kiss her belly,” she said.

“I’m so thankful to have such an amazing little brother gifted to all of us. It’ all I could ever want,” she said. Jimi’s helped so many people in more ways than anyone could ever imagine. He’s talented. A musician, an artist, a rapper, comedian, a therapist, a friend, a son, a brother, a nephew and uncle and so much more,” Robichaud said. “He made me so proud in so many ways.”

Rob Patterson has plans to fulfill his son’s lifelong dream of releasing an album.

“That album he was talking about his whole life, ‘The Holy Book, I would love to release that,” Patterson said. He said he has recordings of about 150 of his son’s songs.

“I think it would be very cool to put his music out there into the world, do it up right… Help him fulfill that dream of his. I have big plans for Jimi still. I’m not done with him,” Patterson said.

RiverheadLOCAL photos by Denise Civiletti