13-year-old killed near Henderson school honored at park ceremony

Hundreds from the Henderson community gathered at a local park Friday evening to remember the 13-year-old boy fatally struck by a car this week.

The large crowd was spread out across the grass field at Paradise Pointe Park. Families gathered in circles, and some people wore red shirts with “Do it 4 Rex” in honor of Rex Patchett.

He was on the sidewalk in front of Mannion Middle School around 5:15 p.m. Monday when police said Jose Marmolejo, 21, lost control of a black coupe and struck Rex, who died at the scene.

Marmolejo was arrested Thursday on a charge of reckless driving resulting in death. Speed was believed to be a factor, but impairment was not, according to the Henderson Police Department.

At the park Friday, a memorial surrounded by colorful balloons had photos of Rex hung on string lights. People could write memories of Rex on cards or sign a poster, a Philadelphia Phillies jersey, a basketball or a football.

“It’s really heartwarming to see all the support,” said Jeff Burr, Rex’s great-uncle. “It really helps the family. A lot of Rex’s friends have been over to the house to comfort the mother and dad.”

Burr said Rex was an avid sports fan, especially of Bryce Harper and the Phillies. He said Rex knew statistics for any baseball team.

“We’re going to miss him a lot. He just was a special young man,” Burr said. “But we have a lot of faith, we’re a family of faith. We know he’s in heaven, so that’s comforting for us.”

He said he’ll remember Rex’s pranks and his big smile. The family called him the “gentle giant” in reference to him being tall for his age.

The park is close to where Rex lived but is also significant because it is near where 9-year-old Austen Russell was killed in May 2015 when his father, Troy Russell, accidentally ran over him with his pickup at their home.

Troy Russell was at the park on Friday and said he and his wife, Deedra, visited with Rex’s parents the night after Rex was killed.

“It brought me back to when we lost our son,” Russell said. “My wife and I know exactly how they’re feeling, what they’re going through.”

He remembered that the worst times for he and his wife were when they were alone.

“Things like this, it doesn’t take away any of the hurt or pain, but it is good to see that people care,” Russell said of community events.

The two families are close and are part of the same Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints congregation, Russell said.

“I know for me it felt like a house was on top of me that I couldn’t budge myself,” Russell said. “Then finally I see it start slowly being lifted up and it wasn’t me, it was the community.”

Mannion eighth graders Sofia Ramirez and Olivia Taylor signed the Phillies jersey. One of Sofia’s best friends was cousins with Rex, and she and Rex were in classes together in sixth grade. Olivia said she didn’t know Rex but that “it was hard to not know him because he was a nice kid.”

Both were devastated by Rex’s death and said they came out to support the family, Rex’s friends and the community.

“As classmates we’ve been relying on each other for support, and we’ve been coming together trying to talk about our best moments with him,” Sofia said.

Burr said a public service for Rex will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Henderson, 400 S. Water St.

Contact David Wilson at dwilson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @davidwilson_RJ on Twitter.