July 15, 2016
By Paul Joseph, Paragon Communications News Director –
Fernando Zamarripa has been, simply, going through the motions for the past week. Zamarripa, a school teacher in Sayre and better known as, “Mr. Z,’ is mostly trying to comfort his brother and his brother’s family.
You see, Zamarripa, Mr. Z. lost his nephew a week ago last night, Patrick Zamarripa. Patrick was one of the five Dallas police officers who lost his life in an ambush.
Starting two nights and continuing through tonight, Paragon Communications has been airing parts of an interview with Mr. Z, Patrick’s uncle, Fernando. The series of stories each night has intended to pay tribute and honor to the 32-year-old police officer.
Zamarripa says Patrick was a big football fan, loved Texas, and would always tease him when Navy beat Army. He leaves behind a wife and young daughter.
The interview with Fernando was taken on Tuesday evening. Zamarippi may refer to incidents that could have already happened.
We’ve heard about Patrick and Fernando’s relationship and that both shared a sense of community responsibility and one of giving back to their community and nation.
By the time of the interview last Wednesday, Fernando and Patrick’s family had witnessed a tribute in Dallas to the slain officers and the other victims. The national ceremony was attended by leaders all over Dallas and Fort Worth as well as the nation. Last night, Zamarripa said it was honorable and meaningful.
He also said he had some time, one-on-one with President Obama. And the subject, of course, was Patrick.
He said that he and Patrick’s family had given a number of interviews and were worn out, but that they were flying to New York for TV interviews.
When asked, “Who would have thought that two weeks ago something – as devastating – as this would happen? Who would have thought?
His uncle says he just wants to see the violence stop. He jokes that he wishes he could clone a police force full of people like his nephew, and wants people to follow his example of treating people with respect and kindness.
Did he die in vain? Mr. Z doesn’t think so. Patrick, he says, urged Americans to take care of each other right up until the time he died.
Zamarripa says his nephew’s love of serving others is what called him to become a police officer. He says as an officer, he enjoyed working in a city like Dallas with a diverse group of people and that he just loved people. That was his job and he enjoyed it.
There will be a Rosary in less than an hour, at 6 p.m. – Fort Worth for Patrick Zamarripa. His funeral will be the tomorrow morning at the same location at 11 a.m. and then laid to rest.
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