Remembering Nikki Patrick

Posted by Collegio on Friday, October 24, 2014 · 

Original link: http://psucollegio.com/2014/10/remembering-nikki-patrick/

| Staff Editorial |

I met Nikki Patrick a month ago. She had called me the day before to schedule an interview for her daily profile, Patrick’s People, in The Morning Sun newspaper. On the day of the interview, a small and fragile woman slowly walked through the Overman Student Center, using a portable oxygen tank and wearing a kerchief on her head. I was expecting a reporter and a photographer, but Nikki arrived alone. She told me after the interview that she had even driven her own car there.

Nikki Patrick was a reporter for the Morning Sun for 47 years. She passed away on Monday, Oct. 20.

During 20 minutes, Nikki asked me some questions about my life, but most of the time, she just let me speak. As a reporter, I couldn’t help but notice her messy handwriting (typical of us reporters). As a first-time interviewee, I was kind of worried if she was actually going to understand all of that back to the newsroom. After we talked, she chose a good spot outside to take a picture of me. She took a small digital camera out of one of the bags, and after only two shots she said she was done.
Before we say goodbye, I asked her how long she has been writing for the paper, and her answer was an incredible 47 years. 
That was the first and the last time I talked with Nikki Patrick.
A couple of days later, my profile story was published without a single mistake. Everything was exactly as I told her, word for word. Even the photo, taken so quickly, was great. I was so proud that I sent copies of the page to my family and friends in Brazil.
I’m telling you of this experience to show how a few minutes of Nikki Patrick’s work impacted my life and the life of my loved ones. So just imagine, in her 47 years as a reporter, how many lives she touched, not only in this community, where she was born and raised, but beyond.
We are told that we need to find a passion in life. If you actually find it, you won’t need to work a single day of your life because work will be a pleasure. Nikki definitely found this passion, which was telling other people’s stories. She published her last column on Wednesday, only four days before she died Monday morning after a long battle with breast cancer. She was 68 years old.
Nikki is no longer here to introduce people to one another in Patrick’s People, and her presence will surely be missed in this town. But memories of this outstanding reporter will be forever held in all of the lives she touched in these 47 years.