1. First things first. Do you really see dead people?

Now where have I heard that before? Yes, I see and talk with “dead” people all the time! But it’s not quite like how it is portrayed on television shows and films.

2. That’s a relief. When I pictured young Patrick seeing dead relatives, I envisioned a frightened child like the boy in The Sixth Sense. Did Hollywood get any of it right? What was it like growing up with this ability?

Actually, I have to tell you that I was very afraid the first time I saw a “dead” person. It happened when I was six years old. I awoke one evening, and there, standing at the foot of my bed, was an uncle of mine. He had passed a few weeks prior, and I guess he knew (before I did) that I had a “gift” of communicating with spirits. He gave me a message to let everyone know that he was just fine, which I did. From that point on, it became less frightening. But even with that, I had no idea that I would be doing this for a living.

3. The message in your book comes across very clear—we never need to let go of connections to loved ones who have passed over. How does this affect the grieving process?

The fact of the matter is most people believe in an afterlife. But for some reason they feel that they have to “let go” or say “goodbye” to their loved ones who have passed. This can make the grieving process harder.

What I help people to understand is, yes, their loved ones do go to Heaven, but they also continue to be a part of their lives here as well. Heaven is not some far-off place past the clouds and beyond our universe. It is around us. Think about it for a moment. Why would God offer such a paradise as Heaven but have the stipulation you have to be separated from your loved ones here in order to go there? He doesn’t. Spirits enjoy the best of both worlds—life in Heaven while continuing to be a part of their loved ones’ lives here. Once a person comes to this understanding, it helps the grieving process immensely.

4. I was fortunate enough to hear one of your radio interviews, and what amazed me the most (aside from the fact that you talk with “dead” people) is how you immediately seem to bond with the callers. Are their relatives already with you? It’s as if there is this hidden social gathering already going on.

When giving a reading—be it in person, over the phone, radio, or television—I never have to “pull” a spirit from somewhere to come and talk with me. They know well ahead of time what is taking place and arrange to be with me at that particular moment. And I can also tell you that they get just as excited as the person receiving the reading does. Also, more likely than not, they are the ones who arranged for the person to receive the reading in the first place. Loved ones in spirit help and guide us more than anyone can
ever imagine.

5. Can you describe the moment you make contact with loved ones? How do they make their presence known?

Good question. When giving a reading to someone I will start out by instantly feeling and/or seeing the presence of their loved ones in spirit surrounding me. Once I acknowledge to the spirit that they have connected with me, they will then start to communicate in several ways. I will hear them, see images, and even connect with their feelings. It’s usually a combination of all of the above.

6. Being a conduit between heaven and earth, you have to have some humorous stories. What is one of the most amusing?

Now that’s a hard one…there are so many! People often think that a person’s personality changes once they pass over. Nope. They certainly have more knowledge of what life here on earth is all about, but believe me, they keep their same personality. So if someone was a crack-up here, they continue to be so there.

I once gave a phone reading to a family living in Greece who wanted to connect with their son. They spoke very little English and had the assistance of an interpreter. As I was giving messages to the family, the “deceased” son told me his brother had just joined the rest of his family for the session and added that it’s just like him to be late, even for this. After the interpreter relayed this message to the family, I could hear them all laughing in the background, as it was true.

When a spirit communicates with me, no matter what language they spoke on earth, they will speak to me in English…well, most of the time.

After the acknowledgment of the tardy brother, the spirit wanted me to relay a word to him…not in English, but in Greek. (It’s hard enough to understand English words from a spirit, but other languages? This spirit was really putting me to the test.) As I listened, I first started to put the syllables together for myself. After I finally pieced together what he was saying, I relayed it to the interpreter. Puzzled, the interpreter asked me if I was sure that was the message for his brother. I told him it was. He then shouted to the brother the word I had told him to say. With that, I heard a loud burst of laughter from the entire family. I had just called the brother an “arsehole” in Greek. Talk about a spirit putting me on the spot! But the family said that the brothers would call each other that all the time and that this was one of the best confirmations I could have given them. From then on, let’s just say I’m a little more apprehensive when a spirit tells me to tell someone something in a foreign language.

7. Your work seems very rewarding and highly emotional. Can you share a story about one of your most heartwarming experiences?

I find some of the most heartwarming experiences are when a spirit will give me information to prove that they are still a part of a person’s life. Off the top of my head, not too long ago, I was giving a face-to-face reading to a young lady who wanted me to connect with her father. There was a real sadness with this woman, and I was hoping I would be able to help her with her grief. When her father connected to me, the first thing I felt was such pride from him. When I told her this, she began to cry. I asked her father why he was feeling this way and he showed me the image of his daughter getting married. He then wanted me to relay the message that not only was he in attendance at the wedding, but he walked her down the aisle. The woman jumped out of her seat, ran over to me, and gave me a great big hug. She told me, through tears, that her father passed away a few months before her wedding. She considered calling it off, but her family wanted her to continue with it as it was something for everyone to look forward to. She told me that walking down the aisle was a bittersweet moment for her. Though she had tears of joy for what was taking place, part of the tears came from missing her father walking beside her. By hearing this message, she knew that he was, in fact, beside her and it made her wedding complete.

8. Privacy is a big issue these days, and I’m sure most people are wondering how often our deceased relatives are watching us. Should we be concerned?

Even though loved ones in spirit are watching over their families all the time, you never have to worry about them dropping in on your private time. They know when or when not to come. And remember, never feel that anything you do may be embarrassing. They too were human once and probably did the same things.

9. In closing, how would the average person communicate with past loved ones?

This is the exact reason why I wrote Never Say Goodbye. Every day, everyone has a connection with his or her loved ones in spirit; they just don’t know it. Though I am fortunate to be able to connect with a spirit in a one-on-one manner, everyone connects with them one way or another. I always ask people if they ever wondered where that good idea comes from. Guess what? More than likely it came from a loved one in spirit. Spirits never claim our bad ideas, just the good ones. [Laughing] From understanding how spirits guide us in life, to the many physical signs that they leave, Never Say Goodbye not only helps people understand that their loved ones in spirit will always continue to be a part of their lives, but it also shows how they too can recognize their many connections with those who have passed.