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The family's New Orleans East residence was destroyed by Katrina, and Pat (right), thinking that he'd have a house (and his belongings) to come back to after evacuating the city, left with only his clothes on his back, his automobile (the transmission blew five days ago in the midst of the evacuation) and an athletic bag full of his training equipment. Nothing more. That is what he owns today. Pat's mother Laverne and step-father Elwood Fleming, along with his sister Denise and brother Andrew, are living miles away out of a hotel room in Lake Charles, (LA). For now it's home, but the family has been turned upside down. No one has really had a chance to fully assess and realize the harsh, stark reality of the situation. It's one of those things people say "it's tough to get your whole mind around," even if you just lived through what is now being called the "worst natural disaster" in U.S. history.
Pat spent seven weeks training in Milwaukee and did indeed, on August 13th in Las Vegas, earn his first K-1 victory with a first round TKO over Atlanta, Georgia's Mark Selbee (who possesses a seven inch height advantage and the current IKF Super Heavyweight Kickboxing Title). Training daily with the Duke Roufus Team and amongst the members gave Pat a chance to really get to know many of the genuinely gracious and certainly colorful personalities that form the nucleus of the family atmosphere cultivated at the school. As Duke Roufus student Manual Rocha was recently quoted as saying in the August 25th edition of the Milwaukee Business Journal, "What's unique (is) the sense you belong to something special." Pat couldn't have known how true those words would become to him less than a week later.
In response, the Duke Roufus Academy is starting the "Barry Family Fund," with 100% of all donations of money, clothing, furnishings and any other type of aid going directly to Pat and his family. This is an excellent opportunity to make sure your donation goes directly to someone displaced and forever affected by this life-changing act of Mother Nature. Persons interested in donating can contact Scott Joffe at (414) 967-7767 or via Email at dukeroufusgym@sbcglobal.net. Donations to the "Barry Family Fund" may also be sent c/o Duke Roufus Academy, 111 W. Virginia St., Milwaukee, WI 53204, (414) 319-1151. Donations may also be made with Mastercard and Visa credit and debit cards in person, over the phone or via Email. Here is a chance to shown once again that Northern hospitality is just as abundant as it's proud Southern cousin. All members, family and friends of the Duke Roufus Academy family are urged to open their hearts for a cause that's beyond good. For more information, please contact Scott Joffe, Ad Cetera Sports, (414) 967-7767.
Update (9/21/05) Milwaukee, WI USA: The outpouring of love, compassion and support for Pat Barry and his family has been wonderful. Thanks to the power of the Internet, the Barry Family Fund has received financial donations from locations around the world and prime exposure on the K-1 USA website, among many others. The fund will be featured in an upcoming issue of Inside Kung Fu magazine. To say the least, Pat has been humbled by the attention and response generated for the Barry Family Fund by the many, many people who have opened their hearts and wallets for he and his family. Pat's family recently moved into a home in the Lake Charles, (LA) area, about 3 hours away from where their home once was. They have not been back to their New Orleans East neighborhood since fleeing roughly 3 weeks ago as their worst fears were realized, their 2 story home was submerged to the roof as the floodwaters overtook the city. Pat now considers Milwaukee, and more specifically the Duke Roufus Kickboxing Academy, home. Everyone Pat meets along the way can't help but get mesmerized by his great smile and fantastic personality. Add to that his ability as a K-1 fighter and knowledgeable instructor, and you have a recipe for success that makes Milwaukee and the entire martial arts community lucky to have someone like Pat Barry. Return the favor when you can with a donation to the Barry Family Fund, c/o Duke Roufus Kickboxing & Boxing Academy, 111 W. Virginia St., Milwaukee, WI 53204 or contact Scott Joffe, Ad Cetera Sports, (414) 967-7767. Thank you.
A packed box of winter clothing from Michigan, enough toothbrushes and supplies to last a lifetime, Euros from overseas, all of it has caught Pat Barry a bit by surprise, "This is just amazing!" he said, continuing, "In a time like this, the amount of support that I've received is just breathtaking. It's weird for me because usually I'm the one trying to save the world, now it's me that needs help." The entire Duke Roufus Academy family has rallied around Pat and contributed to the Barry Family Fund in many, many ways, prompting Pat to comment, "Everyone here has gone out of their way to lend a hand, from money, to clothes, to a place to sleep, to a shoulder to cry on. It's hard to describe my gratitude because this still sometimes seems like an unreal event." While Pat is settling into his new life in Milwaukee with relative ease, the same can't be said for the rest of his family. After having just moved into a new home in Lake Charles, LA, (about 3 hours west of their submerged New Orleans home), Hurricane Rita forced them to evacuate once again last week. They have taken refuge with friends and hope to return to the Lake Charles area very soon. Pat misses his family, but knows they are safe and his situation stable, "I am away from my family, not by choice, but because I have to be right now. Everyone here has made me feel so at home that I can finally sleep through the night." Clearly grateful, Pat wants everyone to know how much he appreciates their love and support, "Thank you all for everything, Love Pat!" he says in closing. Be sure to come out and show some love for Pat on Friday, October 21st as he headlines the main Gladiators Fighting Series card at Milwaukee's Ramada Convention Center Grand Ballroom. For more information, call (414) 967-7767. Persons interested in donating can contact Scott Joffe at (414) 967-7767 or via Email at dukeroufusgym@sbcglobal.net. Donations to the "Barry Family Fund" may also be sent c/o Duke Roufus Academy, 111 W. Virginia St., Milwaukee, WI 53204, (414) 319-1151. Donations may also be made with Mastercard and Visa credit and debit cards in person, over the phone or via Email.
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Tuesday,
September 6, 2005 (Milwaukee, WI USA) - LOCAL
RELIEF FUND STARTED FOR K-1 FIGHTER PAT BARRY AND FAMILY:
The force and devastation from Hurricane
Katrina hit home full force for K-1 Kickboxer and New Orleans native
Pat
became part of the Duke Roufus Kickboxing & Boxing Academy family
a few months back after he met with Duke Roufus and his business partner
Scott Joffe in New Orleans and got a feel for the style of training
and coaching Duke could provide.
Shortly
thereafter, Pat started training with Duke in Milwaukee to help further
his professional Kickboxing aspirations and, more specifically, to notch
his first K-1 victory after coming up on the losing end of a hard fought,
unanimous decision tilt April 30th in Las Vegas to California's Scott
Lighty (second place finisher of K-1's August 13th "Mayhem at the
Mirage" 8-Man Tournament).
Feeling
that the city now holds a special place in his heart as well, Pat decided
to relocate to Milwaukee, saying he knew "this was the place (for
me) to go, I just felt the warmth and knew." For now, Duke Roufus
and his fiance Tami Brown have opened their home to Pat and many others
have began asking what can they do to help.
