Thank you, Mr. Pat Conroy!

‘Tis a sad day for me as I was greeted with the terrible news that Pat Conroy lost his battle to cancer, one of my literary heroes. I became a massive fan of Mr. Conroy after reading Beach Music several years ago, which inevitably changed my perception of life and helped me through my darkest moments. Also, reading every book he’d written in between made me realize so much about myself, other people, and, as I’ve said, my perception of life in general.

Pat Conroy was born Donal Patrick Conroy on October 26, 1945, in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the eldest of seven children born to Marine Colonel Donal Conroy and Frances Peek. He’d written several acclaimed novels and memoirs, including The Prince Of Tides and The Great Santini, made into Oscar-nominated films.

Pat Conroy died at his home Friday in Beaufort, South Carolina, surrounded by family and loved ones, according to his publisher on March 4, 2016. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer. He was 70.

Your legacy will live on! Thank you.