Thomas Patrick "Pat" Byrnes, a member of St. Joseph's Prep's Class of 2005
and a lacrosse player, died Aug. 11, 2004, from injuries suffered in a car accident.
   Here is a link to the obit that appeared on Philly.com. There you'll find a link to
a Guest Book.
    Our thoughts and prayers are with Pat's family.
    If anyone has photos of Pat that they'd like to see posted here, please send them
to silaryt@phillynews.com.
    Thank you.

    Special contribution from website reporter Pete "Crispy" Crispino, a friend and
classmate of Pat's . . .

   Pat Byrnes was the kind of friend everyone wants to have.  At Saint Joe's Prep, he was the friend that everyone did have. Pat was one of the nicest and most outgoing kids in the class, someone who embodied the Prep's maxim of "Man for Others."
   On first impression, Pat was the funny, energetic kid who was always messing around, but you didn’t have to be around him long to see that he was much more than that. Pat was exceptionally caring and selfless. He took the time to get to know people as more than a stereotype or reputation. As a result Pat was a leader, a truly unique and independent individual who others looked up to.
   On the lacrosse field Pat was both talented and supportive. He worked hard to become a better player and truly loved the sport. His energy was second to none and his dedication and heart were unquestioned.  Pat's caring spirit carried onto the field where he was always encouraging his teammates. #28 was Prep Lacrosse.
   Pat solidified his place in the Class of '05 long before his death. Julie Burchill once said, "When a life has been lived completely honestly, completely successfully, or just completely, the correct response to death's perfect punctuation mark is a smile."  Pat's death shocked and saddened everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.  But when looking back on the life of Thomas Patrick Byrnes, one can only smile.
-- Pete "Crispy" Crispino

Pat is third from the left (No. 28) in the front row.
(Photo courtesy of Cheryl Koehl)