Long live Beck: Patrick family shares story of loss and faith one year after losing son

Long Live Beck.

Those three simple words, etched on t-shirts that can be seen around Vestavia Hills, may not mean much to those outside of the Vestavia community.

But to the Patrick family, those three words serve as a reminder of how much they are loved, of how special the Vestavia family is and how powerful their son Beck’s legacy is among those who knew him.

“Beck was just everybody’s favorite,” said Beck’s mother, Laurel Patrick. “He was everyone’s friend.”

Beck, a Vestavia Hills High School student who died last August in a rollover accident, was empathetic, charismatic, funny and much more, Patrick said. But more than anything, he excelled at bringing people together.

“He was in every group; (he) connected people,” Patrick said. “There were kids that had troubles … he welcomed them into the group.”

When Beck saw a student sitting by themselves at lunch, he went over and sat with them. Soon, his friends followed.

While every parent likely hopes their child would be that kind to other students, it’s a story Beck’s mother would never have known if his friends hadn’t told her after he passed away.

Beck died while doing one of the things he loved the most, his mother said.

On Aug. 6, 2020, he and his friends were riding around in his Jeep in Liberty Park, and he tried to go up a hill, his mother said. Four-wheeling wasn’t a new activity for him, but after the Jeep got stuck, Patrick gave the car more gas, and it eventually flipped backwards and rolled over, ejecting Beck from his seat. While he and his friends were all buckled in, Beck’s seat belt did not keep him secure, Patrick said.

“It just seems so unfair,” Patrick said. “We don’t know why.”

The grief of losing her son, she said, is “like a heavy blanket you can’t get out from under.”

Hundreds of people poured into the Patrick home in the days that followed, bringing food, sympathies and fond memories of the young man known as the “Legend.”

As news of Beck’s passing traveled and people began sharing stories of him, Patrick began to notice people putting “Long Live Beck,” or “LLB” in their social media posts as a way to honor her son.

To honor his commitment to connecting people, she made t-shirts with the phrase attached and the “rule” is that if you see someone wearing a “Long Live Beck” shirt, you had to reach out and talk to them, even if you didn’t know them before.

It’s just another way Beck continues to improve the lives of those around him after his passing.

His friends spoke about a young man who brought joy to those around him.

“He was always smiling,” said Beck’s friend, Caiden Howle. “He could walk into any room and light it up.”

Reagan Nix grew up with Beck. The pair’s families went to the lake every year, and every year, without fail, Beck took Nix on a go-kart and almost threw him off “every time,” Nix said.

“Our parents would always get so worried because he acted like he didn’t even know what the brake pedal was,” Nix said. “Those lake trips hold a special place in my heart because they were some of the most memorable moments in my life with Beck.”

Beck loved to work out, and also enjoyed creating his own games, such as “cowboy basketball,” where participants play basketball in cowboy boots and cowboy hats.

“He was just excited about life,” Patrick said.

Sitting still was not an option for Beck most of the time, Howle said.

“He was always on a mission,” Howle said.

Beck had a sense of humor, Nix said. In their 10th grade English class, Nix admitted “for the first semester, I probably didn’t learn one thing because of him.”

“He knew how to distract everyone in that class, including the teacher,” Nix said. “That class was my favorite solely because of the fun and craziness that happened in that room, which was pretty much all because of Beck and his crazy ideas.”

While he still had a couple of years left at VHHS, Beck had mentioned possibly going to law school or perhaps pursuing a real estate career after graduation, Patrick said. He had also mentioned following in his father Robert’s footsteps in the field of anesthesia.

Beck enjoyed a strong relationship with his sister Hollis, who is going into the eighth grade at Liberty Park Middle School. Despite being more than four years apart in age, they were “very close,” Patrick said.

“She was crazy about him,” Patrick said.

Hollis misses her big brother, Patrick said, but his friends have taken her in as one of their own.

“Now you have all of us, and we’re going to be looking out for you the rest of your life,” Patrick said Beck’s friends told Hollis.

Patrick said her daughter has been “amazing” and has helped her walk through the difficulties of the past year. The family has also relied “100% on God,” Patrick said.

“God is using these people of Vestavia, the school … to help someone,” Patrick said. “Through his love and others, we are able to cope.”

Howle said he misses his friend’s laugh and smile.

“I miss him always talking to me about girl problems,” Howle said. “He always talked meeting new people.”

Beck taught Howle to always say thank you, and to treat people the way he wanted to be treated, he said. His legacy of connecting people was evident at his memorial, as there were probably close to 300 kids there. Howle had no idea Beck knew so many people.

A year after his death, Nix said Beck’s impact lives on.

“I got to see Beck grow emotionally and physically and become the man he was, and I believe still is in heaven,” Nix said. “He affected so many people’s lives for almost 17 years and his legacy continues to do so each and every day.”

Even if Beck only met someone one time, Nix said he cared for every person he ever met.

“He lived each day full of energy and poured that energy into everyone he encountered,” Nix said. “His legacy continues to live throughout each of his loved ones, because he might physically not be here anymore, but his effect on people continues in each of their hearts, and you can see it in everyone who knew him.”