Middle and Upper School students honored the nation's veterans, including EA alumni, in Chapel on Thursday, Nov. 10.
EA alumni were recognized by Greville Haslam Head of School Dr. T.J. Locke.
Retired Navy commander Norman "Norm" G. FitzPatrick '80, along with his daughter Allison FitzPatrick Carey '06, were the featured speakers at this year's Edward H. Vick, Jr. ’62 Veterans Day Chapel service.
Mr. FitzPatrick opened by reading a poem about military children. "Dandelions put down roots almost anywhere and it's almost impossible to destroy [them]," shared Mr. FitzPatrick. "Military children bloom everywhere the winds carry them. They are hardy and upright. They are hardy and strong, cultivated in the roots of the military."
Mr. Fitzpatrick was often deployed for long periods of time as a Navy helicopter pilot. "Military life is hard and the perception is real. It's tough, moving is tough," explained Allison FitzPatrick Carey. "But I am going to share with you a little secret that us military kids know, and many people don't. We loved it."
EA was Ms. Carey's eighth school when she arrived as a 9th grader. "There is so much you can't control, but what you can control is your attitude and the decisions that you make to attack the new adventure and get the most out of the experience that you can," she said. "And that is a lesson I am so grateful for learning so early in my life."
Military families are known for the strong support they provide for each other when loved ones are deployed. "As I got older, I quickly started to realize that while the community was supporting us here at home, they were really supporting my dad. Because he knew that we were taken care, he could do his job and serve our country the best possible way he could without having to worry about us."
Mr. FitzPatrick currently serves as a senior vice president at Lazard Financial Institutions Group. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy and received a master's in finance from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He earned his Wings of Gold in 1986 and flew from numerous aircraft carriers during the course of his 20-year Naval career. A multi-sport athlete, Mr. FitzPatrick was inducted into The Episcopal Academy Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013.
