Dear JH colleagues and friends:

Please join us in extending our unwavering support to the Patete family during this time of profound sorrow and loss. It is with heavy hearts that we share the heartbreaking news of Ava Patete, a beautiful, talented and kind 16 year old who passed away far too early in her young life. The loss of Ava is unimaginable, but together, we can offer our love, strength, and financial assistance to help this family through their challenging journey.

During this difficult time, we aim to provide financial support to the Patete family by launching this GoFundMe campaign. Your generous contributions will be distributed directly to the family to be used as best they see fit to honor Ava and move forward as a family. Together, we can help the Patete family heal and rebuild their lives, and celebrate Ava as their cherished daughter and sister.

Ava lit up every room she walked into. She was smart, sensitive, and best of all, hilarious. There is no one she didn’t make laugh, especially her big brother. She was fiercely protective of her family and friends, and her love ran deep. Her compassion was felt by countless people whom she helped in their darkest times, even if she barely knew them. She was wise beyond her years in many ways, often sitting at the adults table at her friends’ gatherings. Ava shared a love of music with Mum, a love of movies with Dad, and was a Disney fanatic along with her brother Anthony. She always found great peace at the beach, with her face toward the sunset.

Ava’s first love was soccer and she was a phenomenal goalkeeper, playing at the high school and club level. Her skill landed her the starting goalie position as a freshman at Whitman-Hanson High School and she took great pride in being a contributing factor in their winning the Division II State Championship in 2021. She was looking forward to playing college soccer when she graduated. She also played hockey growing up and was a current player for her high school lacrosse team. She was so proud of her brother’s accomplishments in high school hockey and soccer, and one of her favorite things to do was attend his games and cheer him on.

We extend our deepest gratitude for your compassion, love, and support during this very difficult time.