Kaitlyn Patchoulk, who is two years older than her siblings, has always wanted to emulate her sister.
Nina Paciolke — Three-Point Specialist, TV News Anchor, Packers Fan, Cat Lover, Coffee Maniac — pulled off such a glow.
“She was like a little ball of sunshine and her smile was amazing,” Kaitlyn said Monday morning.
“And she could make you feel like you were the most important person, whether she knew you for five minutes or a lifetime. Go out for a drink and someone will recognize her and light them up the way she has made me feel for the past 27 years.
Pachorque, the former USF women’s basketball player who led Freedom High to the program’s only state berth in 2013, died Saturday at the age of 27. She got married and committed suicide.
“My sister was the happiest person I thought I knew.
“Sometimes, no matter how much you think you know someone, you have no idea what a person is going through….My sister had access to every resource you could imagine. She was very good at her job.”
Pacholke, who wrote letters for three seasons (2013-2016) at USF, developed his dedication to the Packers while working for ABC television affiliate WAOW in Wausau, Wisconsin. Kaitlyn said she also developed her passion for snow skiing while living there.
Posted in WAOW.com The website says: Nina loved this community and the people who lived here. She was a kind and generous person who made people smile. She misses her. ”
Freedom’s point guard and team captain, Pacholke averaged nearly four assists as a senior Patriots under the guidance of his mother, Rory. The team, whose roster included three or more of his players playing at Division I level, finished 25–4, losing to Gainesville his Buchholz in the Class 7A semi-finals held at Lakeland.
Prior to that season, she and her sister (also a point guard) had played together for two years for their mother.
Pacholque turned down a small college offer to remain in Tampa and play for USF. Although she only appeared in a few games in her three seasons with the Bulls, she was part of two teams that made it to the NCAA Tournament.
Former Bulls teammate Micah Kroll, who began playing alongside Pacholke at the AAU level at age 10, said her longtime friend had a big-picture perspective and a willingness to see “the positive side of everything.” Told.
“She lightened everyone’s mood and put a smile on everyone’s face. She was always there for us,” said Kroll, an intensive care nurse at Meads Countryside Hospital. “Anyone of us, she dropped anything and was there for us.”
Longtime USF coach Jose Fernandez said in a text message that the Bulls basketball family is “devastated and deeply saddened” by Pacholque’s death.
She is survived by her mother, sisters, fiancée, and father Aaron.
“She radiated love and positivity. She cared so much about infusing others and always put others first,” said Caitlin Pacholk. “I think she did it at the price of not caring about her.”
Need help?
If you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts, contact the 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Contact the Crisis Text Line by sending a TALK to 741741.or chat with someone online suicide preventionlifeline.orgFor the Tampa Bay Crisis Center, dial 211 or crisis center.com.
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