18 JANUARY 2025 I t was 20 years ago this month that Patrick O’Neill became a firefighter. Today, he is captain of Engine 12, and he and his crew are responsible for many of the treacherous air, water, and mountain rescues in the Valley. Even before he completed a rigorous Air Rescue Training Program, he became familiar with family rescues. His parents divorced when he was two, and he was raised by a single mom who worked several jobs to make ends meet. They moved frequently, which meant new schools, friends, and learning to start over. None of that compared to the greatest upheaval in his life, when – at the age of 15 – his mom died. Mother and son were scuba diving together, and after a medical incident, he carried her lifeless body to shore. “Our life script isn’t always a happy one,” O’Neill said. “It requires picking yourself up and not feeling sorry for yourself. I remind myself that somebody out there has gone through worse things.” O’Neill grew up in foster families and when the first arrangement didn’t work out, he went to live with Arcadia family Tim and Kim Haren. “I had never seen a green lawn and thought I was in perfectville. It was such a blessing, and today, the Harens are like parents and grandparents,” he said. O’Neill said it took him a while to unpack the baggage that he carried as a teenager. He ran cross-country in high school, and running became his therapy. “I ran through my anger while crying. It was a form of escape,” he said. It wasn’t until many years later that O’Neill got grief counseling through a firefighter’s employee program. “I didn’t always want to be a firefighter. I only decided on that when working for a company that happened to be firefighter-owned. My childhood aspiration was to do something in the military and fly helicopters,” he said. He would ultimately get his wish but in a far different way. “My mom beat it in my head that I was to go to college, maybe even one of the military academies,” O’Neill said. He used money from her life insurance policy to honor his commitment and graduated from ASU with a degree in kinesiology. Soon after, he joined the Phoenix Fire Department and found a new home. He said he’s been part of some really great crews and involved in incredible miracle rescues, including saving the life of a 20-month-old girl who had no heartbeat for 30 minutes after she fell in a pool. O’Neill met his wife, Julie, at an ASU football tailgate party, and they married in 2011. They have two children, Makena, 11, and Harrison, 9. “Patrick is a devoted family man, very earnest, hardworking, and selfless,” neighbor John Heckenlaible said. O’Neill said his trials early on in life taught him to trust God and move forward. “Everyone is going to face some hardship; it is just a matter of when. To be resilient, you have to keep a perspective on things. I am fortunate because I was baptized when I was eight, and I told myself then that God has a plan for me,” he said. The plan is still unfolding, and he suggested that an apt title for his autobiography could be “How Did I Get Here?” Patrick O’Neill To be resilient, you have to keep a perspective on things.

JANUARY 25 – FEBRUARY 2, 2025 THE OLD WEST. C O M E S E E I T. Y O U ’ V E H E A R D A B O U T During Scottsdale Western Week, Old Town transforms into an authentic old west experience and a fun ride for the entire family. All are welcome to experience what can only be described as one “heck of a good time” – parades, the Pony Express, Native American festivals, line dancing, live music, and museum exhibits all week long. Come say howdy! OLDTOWNSCOTTSDALEAZ.COM