Most people know Teddy Patrick as the Costco employee with a bright smile and sweet voice who serenades shoppers as they leave the Vancouver warehouse store.
So it’s only fitting that the community came together to sing for Patrick after a heart attack sidelined the beloved Vancouver resident.
About 150 people of all ages — some of whom know Patrick personally, some of whom have had only fleeting encounters with him at Costco — gathered Friday morning at Hillcrest Church of the Nazarene to sing Christmas carols and gospel songs in a show of support. A video of the singalong is being sent to Patrick, who is recovering from open heart surgery in the intensive care unit at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland.
“Teddy has inspired each of us,” said Stephanie Johnson, who attends Hillcrest Church with Patrick and helped to organize Friday’s event. “He inspires us to be kind, welcoming and, most important, bold and fearless in sharing a unique light we all have to see and feel.”
“It will bring joy to Teddy for each of us to carry his torch while he recovers,” Johnson told the crowd.
Patrick, who is in his mid-70s, suffered a heart attack Wednesday and underwent open-heart surgery Thursday morning. The surgery lasted about three hours, and Patrick is recovering well, said Hillcrest Pastor Tim Westerberg.
Patrick will be in the ICU for a few days before moving into a lower-level care unit and then returning home, Westerberg said.
“He’s doing really well,” he said. “He’s going to be back doing what he loves to do, and that’s brightening our day.”
Quick turnaround
Johnson and Rachel Risor, who also attends Hillcrest Church with Patrick, began organizing Friday’s event on Thursday afternoon. They spread the word about the event on Facebook and were pleased with the turnout on such short notice.
Jennifer Jensen and her three kids don’t know Patrick personally, but when she learned about his heart attack and Friday’s gathering, she knew they had to attend.
“We’ve got to support him,” Jensen said. “He’s always so nice to us.”
For years, Jensen and her kids have been excited to see Patrick’s smiling face as they enter or leave the Costco near Andresen Road.
“Shopping isn’t always the most fun, and Costco can get crazy,” Jensen said. “But he puts a smile on your face.”
Jensen and her kids were among the crowd that filled the foyer of Hillcrest Church. The group sang verses from “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “Joy to the World” and “Amazing Grace.” They also sang a gospel song, “Every Praise,” that’s among Patrick’s favorites when he attends Sunday services at Hillcrest.
“He sits in the front row and praises the Lord,” said Susie Risor, who played the piano for the event. “This will be a treat for him.”
Fourteen-year-old Emma Doddridge and seven of her friends — some of whom attend the church, some of whom don’t — donned Santa and elf hats for Friday’s event. None of the girls know Patrick personally, but they see the happiness he spreads throughout the community.
“He’s always bringing lots of joy to people,” Doddridge said. “He’s nice to people he doesn’t even know, so it’s nice to give back to him.”
