Leah Runge
Special to TuscNeighbors.com
Born and raised in New Orleans, La., Clifford “Cliff” Patterson has travelled the globe through his service with the Marine Corps and as a volunteer for the American Red Cross. Patterson has lived in several locations across the United States including Atlanta and parts of California. Now Patterson is lending a helping hand in Tuscaloosa. His knowledge on rebuilding a community is helping the city to recover.
You have to dig into Patterson’s past to truly know where his passion for disaster relief stems. Patterson’s volunteer resume extends well into previous decades. In 1965, Hurricane Betsy introduced herself to Patterson and he now considers it one of the stepping-stones to his love for disaster relief.
Several years after his active duty in the Vietnam War ended, Patterson aided those affected by the Oakland Hill Fire of 1988. There, Patterson said he witnessed the Red Cross and their level of unwavering duty to those victims.
“I really admired what it was they were doing”, Patterson said. He became a Red Cross volunteer the following year, and 1989 brought another disaster to the Bay Area, leaving Patterson to put his new training to work through disaster relief for the earthquake that shook San Francisco.
Several years later, Patterson would again relocate. Three weeks after the 9/11 attacks, Patterson moved back to his hometown of New Orleans. Four years later, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. After losing his house, cars and several members of his family to the storm, Patterson became a refugee. Like many of the victims from the 2005 hurricane, Patterson went north and settled in Tuscaloosa, and later nearby Greene County. He was declared a victim of disaster and was placed in FEMA and HUD housing for four years.
Since April 27, Patterson has been in full swing with relief efforts through the Red Cross. Working logistics for the organization, Patterson is able to fulfill the needs of those affected by transporting supplies from the Red Cross headquarters. Though immediate recovery has slowed, Patterson has had only two days off since his duty began.
The effort put forth by Patterson has not gone unnoticed. Dr. Suzanne Horsley, a friend and fellow Red Cross volunteer, only had positive words about Patterson. “He’s so unselfish, he’s just spending every free moment he has at the Red Cross”, said Horsley. “His generosity wears off on other volunteers who get to know him.”
Despite being in the middle of disaster relief for decades, Patterson is strong in his faith that there is hope to the rebuilding process in Tuscaloosa. Patterson believes that a community that comes together grows together. A deeply rooted reality for the veteran is that you never leave a man behind and always work to reach out a hand for a neighbor in need. “You never know when tomorrow may be your day”, said Patterson.