A CNN legal consultant and Georgia defense attorney perished while swimming with his teenage son near their coastal house.
Sunday afternoon, 55-year-old Page Pate died after being dragged out to sea by a rip current off the coast of St. Simons Island, Georgia.
The trial attorney had more than 25 years of experience and split his time between offices in Atlanta and Brunswick on the coast.
At the time of his passing, he was enjoying time with his two sons and wife Elizabeth at their coastal residence.
Just after 2:00 p.m., emergency personnel were dispatched to Gould’s Inlet beach to assist two swimmers who were reportedly “in danger.”
Vinnie DiCristofalo, the interim chief of Gylnn County Fire-Rescue, confirmed that the two swimmers were Pate and his adolescent son.
While the water rescue squad was its route to the scene, the adolescent victim reached the shore safely, according to him.
Sunday afternoon, 55-year-old Page Pate died after being dragged out to sea by a rip current off the coast of St. Simons Island, Georgia.
At approximately 2:00 p.m., first responders were dispatched to Gould’s Inlet beach, depicted, for two ‘in difficulty’ swimmers.
Pate was rescued from the water and transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The beach is notorious for its rip currents, according to DiCristofalo, who added, ‘I do not have direct knowledge as to whether they were together and separated.’
Pate’s law company, Pate, Johnson and Church, eulogized him as follows: ‘Once the shock wears off, it’s just hurt.’ And there is no easy way to get rid of that besides time and mourning.
“However, I believe we may also take with us the joys of this man’s life.
Page had an easy smile, an earnest chuckle, and a terrific sense of humor despite being a formidable and occasionally terrifying attorney in the courtroom.
He is survived by his two boys, Chatham and Asher, and his 53-year-old wife, Elizabeth.
It is unclear whether of Pate’s boys encountered trouble when swimming alongside him.
The New York Times, CNN, NPR, and the Associated Press routinely requested Pate’s professional commentary and analysis on legal topics.
Jason Sheffield, a trial attorney in the metro Atlanta area and the head of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, described Pate as “a larger-than-life individual and lawyer.”
Acting Gylnn County Fire-Rescue Chief Vinnie DiCristofalo verified that the two swimmers were Pate and his adolescent son, however it is unknown which child he was with.
The New York Times, CNN, NPR, and the Associated Press routinely requested Pate’s professional commentary and analysis on legal topics. Numerous honors have been paid to the “impressive” attorney.
At the time of his death, he was enjoying time with his two sons and wife Elizabeth at their oceanfront house in St. Simon.
State Sen. Jen Jordan, a Democrat from Atlanta who is running for Georgia attorney general this year, paid tribute to the attorney on social media.
She stated, “Devastated to learn that my friend Pate Page passed away over the weekend. We were buddies for about 30 years and were from the same region of Georgia.
He was intelligent, polite, and professional, and he could cross-examine a witness like hell. Such a tragedy for his family and all those who loved him.’
Pate was a founding member of the Georgia Innocence Project, which expressed “heartbreak” upon his passing.
In a statement, they stated, “Page was a visionary founding member of the Georgia Innocence Project twenty years ago. He was an ardent fighter for the wrongfully accused and convicted.”
Over the years, he consulted on cases, advised on media strategies, and raised awareness of wrongful convictions and GIP’s activities.