HARLINGEN — Family and friends are mourning the death of a 30-year-old Harlingen man who was stationed at a North Carolina Army base.
Private First Class Patrick J. Hernandez was killed at about 12:50 p.m. Monday in a Humvee accident at Fort Bragg, where he was assigned to the 108th Military Police Company, 503rd MP Battalion, part of the 16 th Military Police Brigade.
Hernandez, who is survived by his parents, brothers, wife, his two daughters and two step children, was working as a salesman with the Bert Odgen automobile dealership, where his father Mark Hernandez serves as a sales manager, before he joined the Army in August 2020.
“He was a great kid,” Annika Vega, the dealership’s internet director, said Thursday. “He was a great person — very friendly. He was very helpful. Anything he could do, he would help you with open arms. He was a people-person. He was very successful as a sales consultant. But his heart was in law enforcement. He wanted to be a soldier.”
At the dealership Thursday, friends remained stunned.
“Today we mourn the loss of one of our very own, Patrick Hernandez,” the dealership posted on Facebook. “Everyone loved working with Patrick, his smile was contagious. Everyone at Bert Ogden & Fiesta Dealerships is hurting today. We pray for strength and healing for his family and children. We offer our deepest condolences to the Hernandez family.”
The 503rd MP Battalion said it will host a memorial for Pfc. Hernandez in the coming weeks.
“The last few days have been extremely hard for the Enforcer family, especially the 108th MP CO,” Lt. Col. Andrew Till, commander of 503rd MP Battalion, said. “Unfortunately, we lost one of our own in a vehicle accident on post. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Pfc. Hernandez’s family as they grieve the loss of their loved one. The 503rd MP Battalion is grieving as well and we will honor Pfc. Hernandez’s life and service.”
