Rest in Peace, Dr. Teleka Patrick

As a physician, facing death is an inevitable part of the job description. However when it hits close to home, especially to a fellow doctor, no amount of training can prepare you for the emotion you feel.

Dr. Teleka Patrick was a 30 year old psychiatry resident at Western Michigan University who went missing after leaving work on December 5,2013. Her car was found abandoned approximately 100 miles from the hospital in Indiana  with her wallet and credit cards inside. On April 7 a fisherman discovered a body in Lake Charles in Porter, Indiana which was later identified as Dr. Patrick. 

We may never know the circumstances surrounding Teleka's death. The Kalamazoo County Sheriff Office has deemed it an accident, but autopsy/ toxicology results are pending. During the search for Teleka,  the question of her mental health arose. On the day of her disappearance, friends and coworkers stated she acted "irrational" and showcased "erratic" behavior. Then Youtube videos were released which posed the question of whether or not she could tell the difference between reality and fantasy. The fact that she stalked gospel artist/pastor Marvin Sapp also shed light on a serious issue Dr. Patrick was facing. 

I do believe that Teleka had some form of mental illness, however since she was the "healer" no one may have picked up on the signs or even inquired about what was going on in her personal life. She herself may have not found it necessary to seek medical attention; after all, she's a psychiatrist, right? Too often physicians have placed their own health in jeopardy just for the sake of helping others (remember when I was sick)? And too often by the time we do finally decide to take care of ourselves the damage has already been done.

A bright, beautiful woman has been lost and though I did not know Taleka personally, my sister in medicine is gone. Her family released this statement on the Find Taleka Facebook page:

"Over the past several months, you have gotten to know Teleka Cassandra Patrick. You’ve gotten to know her how we knew her and you’ve seen her bright and caring smile. She was beautiful, intelligent, and God-fearing. You’ve prayed for Teleka, cried for Teleka, and worked to find Teleka and we thank you. We thank you for walking this difficult journey with our family.

Teleka’s death is not the ending we had hoped for, however, the journey does not end here. As we mourn Teleka, we must also honor her; honor the life she led, honor her kind spirit and honor her devotion to God and others. Teleka had a passion and zest for life and no matter the circumstances that led up to her death, we are certain that she would not have taken her own life. Many questions remain, but what is certain is that we will love her forever and her legacy will continue to live on in the love we show to others.

Thank you for your prayers. Please respect our privacy in this difficult time.

The Patrick Family"

Rest in peace Taleka