Pat Gallo may be gone, but her memory continues to give one year later

Their epic 54-year love affair ended almost one year ago when Pat Gallo returned home from Christmas shopping only to die in a freak accident.

But Gallo’s story isn’t over, and the love she spread throughout the community continues to inspire others to share that love in her name.

Gene Gallo, a longtime city councilman and retired fire chief, received a letter on the 11-month anniversary of his wife’s passing – she died on Dec. 15 – that an anonymous donation had been made in Pat’s name.

Gallo posted the letter on Facebook, noting, “My heart is filled with love and joy. Wherever you are out there, thank you from the bottom of my heart. God bless you.”

The letter was from Dwayne Parker, or better known as “Bishop Freeze” to the low-income children in Samoset who attend the Oasis Community Center.

The letter reads, “A generous gift of $2,000 was made in the name of and memory of Patricia Gallo. We are so blessed by this unexpected gift and know that Patricia loved, caring and giving to children who were less fortunate. With this contribution, we will be able to provide a SOZO Christmas party and giveaway.”

Parker heads the SOZO Kids chapter at the community center, a national program that helps keep at-risk kids out of trouble through music and faith. The money will be used to purchase bikes, toys, food and more to those needy families.

“May her soul continue to rest in heaven,” Parker went on to write. “I never met her, but Patricia’s loved. And her legacy of love shall continue to live on through SOZO’s missions.”

Parker was unable to be reached Friday, but Gallo said he was overwhelmed when he opened the letter. The Gallo family has an idea who is behind the donation, but the person will neither confirm nor deny his or her generous actions.

“It just blows you away,” Gallo said. “It’s overwhelming. Pat was always politically in the background and not a person to get out front. She was active, though, and would meet with certain groups and friends and really got close to my old classmates over the years. She would meet them for lunch once a month.”

The only time she missed that lunch was the day she died. Gallo still has the note written by Pat that she put on the fridge to remind herself that she was to have lunch with the classmates later that day.

“I think that’s maybe why she was in a hurry that day and made some mistakes,” Gallo said. “It’s so fitting for that kind of money to go to a mission that helps kids. My wife was always about kids. At our church, she worked with the younger kids once a month and did that for well over 30 years. We watched those little kids grow up and she was so excited to see them at 16 or 17 knowing that she was a part of their lives from when they were almost potty broke. That was her life. That was her mission. She did a fantastic job.”

With the anniversary of her passing nearing, Gallo hesitated, broke eye contact for the first time as his eyes misted and said, “I still miss her. My heart is broken and will never get unbroken. I know things have to go on. It’s funny how I changed my life. I used to just lay in bed, pray and fall asleep half way through my prayers. Now I’m on hands and knees every night. I talk to her in the morning and I tell her I love her every night like I did for 54 years.”

The response on Facebook matched the love. Emma Dean Ricks said, “Wonderful tribute to a special lady,” while Teresa Ferris wrote, “Pat would be smiling from ear to ear. How wonderful is that.” And Marianne Barnebey summed it all up with, “Pat’s love goes on.”

Gallo said, “I believe in my whole heart that she still has direction in my life. I’m doing it because she’s still in my heart and still in my life. I think that will be salvation until the day I die. She changed my life and I still believe that was her mission.”

This story was originally published November 17, 2017 at 2:40 PM with the headline "Pat Gallo may be gone, but her memory continues to give one year later."