Patrick Carroll Memorial Service

Tow Truck operators, members of the tow service community, Monster Truck teams and owners and Watsonville community will be posthumously honoring one of their own, Patrick Carroll on April 28th at a Memorial Service at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds JJ Cresseti Building in Watsonville on Saturday, 4/28/2012 at 2:00 PM.  

Watsonville resident Patrick Carroll, husband and father of two passed away April 10th after a lifelong battle to just live. Patrick served as dispatcher and "Office Guru" for Auto Care Towing of Watsonville and as team member of Living The Dream Racing - a Monster Truck team for three touring Monster Trucks. The Memorial Service for Patrick will take place April 28th at 2:00 PM at the JJ Cresetti building at Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds and be performed by Dan Hoffman, Pastor of United Presbyterian Church of Watsonville. The California Tow Truck Association confirmed they have contacted ALL tow companies from Santa Cruz to Salinas and put out a State-Wide notice announcing the service and encouraging all available and capable members to attend in support of Patrick Carroll. A number of Santa Cruz County and Monterey County tow companies have confirmed they will be represented. All tow trucks will arrive by 1:00 PM for positioning in a static procession leading up the driveway of the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds (2601 East Lake Avenue, Watsonville, CA). In addition the three Monster Trucks of the Living The Dream Team are planned to be positioned outside the JJ Cresetti building to honor/salute Patrick Carroll. A post-service processional through Watsonville is being organized but is not yet finalized as the Tow Truck Operators do not want to disrupt or impede flow of traffic or cause difficulties for the local police agencies.

Patrick Carroll was born with a congenital heart defect (Transposition of the Great Arteries) and endured a lifetime of struggles with his heart, eventually receiving a heart transplant on March 7 at Stanford University Medical Center. Patrick suffered lung and kidney complications while his donated heart functioned well strong post-transplant. Patrick remained hospitalized for over a month passing away April 10th at Stanford University Hospital in Palo Alto.

Sole breadwinner for his family Patrick leaves his wife Samantha, daughter Jazzy (age 9) and son Robbie (age 13) along with his mother Mary Ann and brother James. Patrick was employed Dispatcher/”Office Guru” for Auto Care Towing of Watsonville and was well respected in the emergency services community for his professionalism, efficiency and his sense of humor. His professional contacts and supporters included employees of Watsonville Police Department, Watsonville Fire Department, California Highway Patrol, California Department of Forestry and many others who lent encouragement and support prior to and during his time waiting for and ultimately receiving his heart transplant.  A number of representatives from the emergency services and first-responders community are expected to attend the memorial.

Patrick Carroll was also a support team member for Time Flys Monster Truck which permanently flies the Donate Life flag in honor of Patrick and in honor and remembrance of all organ donors, their families and organ, eye and tissue recipients.

Through this memorial service members of the Watsonville community are hoping to help Patrick Carroll's family as they are struggling to pay the enormous medical/hospital bills not covered by health insurance, with the cost of burial expenses and to provide the family with funds as Patrick was sole provider of the income for his family. ANY donation of any amount is greatly appreciated. To donate to help pay medical bills contact Help Hope Live Fund (formerly National Transplant Assistance Fund) at http://www.helphopelive.org and either click on the Donate Now tab in the upper right hand corner and follow the directions OR type in Patrick Carroll in the find-a-patient profile feature on the upper right hand side of the page (below the Donate Now tab) or follow the link http://www.helphopelive.org/find-a-patient/profile/index.cfm/patient/70A8B38E-CCFC-E22C-922BE002724A6C16or you can call 800-642-8399. Donations can also be made directly to the Carroll family through Facebook - to get there just do a search on Facebook for The Patrick Foundation.

Condolences, correspondence and donations can also be sent to or dropped off at Auto Care Towing, 250 Kearney Extension, Watsonville, CA 95076. Phone: (831) 728-0384.