Miami coaches, players, families sustain Bryan Pata’s legacy with kids’ shopping spree

Miami Hurricanes defensive end/Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Rookie of the Year Rueben Bain was there. So was Canes receiver Isaiah Horton and offensive lineman Ian Johnson.

They joined 20 children on Monday evening, along with UM athletes, coaches and assistants, coach Mario Cristobal’s wife Jessica, cheerleaders and Sebastian the Ibis in continuing a 23-year tradition of the Hurricanes Team Store Holiday Shopping Spree that for the past 17 years has honored the legacy of late Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Bryan Pata.

The shopping spree in Coral Gables has been organized since the beginning by store general manager Harry Rothwell and promoter Neal Bendesky. On Monday, they gathered 15 children from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami five from The Home Team run by former UM offensive lineman Alex Pou, and gave each a $95 gift card to buy gifts for themselves, friends and family members.

The shopping spree was set to continue Tuesday night with 20 children from the Police Athletic League and five more from The Home Team.

Pata’s older brother Edwin, UM’s senior analyst on defense, addresses the children every year with his “dash’’ concept — “discipline, attitude, sacrifice and habits,’’ said Pata, who stresses “the importance of the dash in between the day you were born and the day you go to heaven and what you do between those dashes in terms of how you make people feel and what you are remembered for.”

UM baseball coach J.D. Arteaga and his wife Ysha attended, along with golf coach Janice Olivencia, swimming coach Andy Kershaw, director of player development Jorge Baez and Starlet Guidry, the wife of UM defensive coordinator Lance Guidry.

The number 95 represents the jersey number Pata wore before being gunned down in 2006. His alleged assailant Rashaun Jones, a former Canes defensive back, was arrested in August 2021 and charged with first-degree murder and is still awaiting trial, Pata said.

Edwin Pata said the week Bryan died, Rothwell raised $10,000 for the Pata family to defray funeral expenses “and anything else we needed.’’

“It absolutely touched my family, and as long as we live we’ll always be a part of this.

“When we grew up we didn’t have Christmases like a lot of kids in America,’’ said Pata, the father of four daughters ages 5 to 11. “We couldn’t afford a lot of things. If we got gifts from other people it was so impactful and I was so appreciative. It feels good to be part of helping kids get joy at Christmas. These kids always want to get for other people and hardly anything for themselves.’’

The shopping spree is underwritten by The Big Cheese, Flanigan’s, Milam’s Markets, CrepeMaker and private donations.

“We keep Bryan’s memory alive through this event and it puts us in the Christmas spirit — the better-to-give-than-receive spirit,’’ Rothwell said. “Every guest shopper gets as much pleasure out of doing this than the kids themselves.’’