A self-proclaimed “bum” in his first year at Ryerson, Daniel Patricio, 20, has come a long way since his days of being an unmotivated student.      

Last month, the third-year marketing student at Ryerson and volunteer at the Hospice of Peel raised more than $3,000 in 30 days for his Give the Gift of Giving program.

Through Facebook, YouTube and numerous blogs, the aspiring social media guru helped spread the holiday cheer to families marred by terminal illness. Patricio was able to rally 100 donors who helped in raising donations for affected families struggling financially and emotionally.  

“There’s no control in their lives. They don’t know when they’re going to die,” Patricio said.

“They don’t know how much longer they have with their kids. So I wanted to give them the power to give gifts to their children without their children knowing.”         

He proposed that the money raised online and through charity events would be translated into gift cards for Wal-Mart and Loblaws, giving families a chance to exchange gifts over the holidays.

Many people didn’t understand what Patricio was trying to do at first. It wasn’t until he posted a YouTube video of himself being interviewed on the local Rogers Daytime TVshow that he was able to connect with viewers. 

That day, his video immediately garnered about 500 views and over $1,000 in donations. By Dec. 13, 2008, Patricio had raised $3,170.57.

Word about his mission spread quickly on the Internet, but Patricio insisted that he isn’t the only one capable of accomplishing what he did.

“Anyone can do this really . . . If you have a vision and you have a goal, you can get the message out and people will buy into it,” he said.

Patricio’s involvement with the Hospice of Peel came as a sort of revelation on the morning of one of his exams two years ago. Not knowing exactly what he was looking for, he rolled out of bed and sent emails to 10 charities.

The first reply came from the Hospice of Peel where he was called in for an interview. Since then, he has been volunteering there every Saturday morning.

The Hospice of Peel provides support to people who suffer from life-threatening and terminal illness. All types of illnesses – from cancer to HIV, are dealt with.               

Dave Walker, director of resource development at the Hospice of Peel, said that their goal is to “provide the compassionate care that gives them the dignity and even opportunity to have their end-of-life experience in the home as much as possible.”

Patricio’s Give the Gift of Giving program came at just the right time for some, in the midst of a global economic crisis.

“For some individuals it meant the world. There was obvious need in our community,” said Walker. “There are all sorts of needs for people in normal circumstances but when you add an end-of-life umbrella over them, the need is magnified.”

Patricio said, “It’s life changing.” He said he was able to talk to the people he was helping about life and death. He spoke fondly of an 85-year-old, blind Spanish man who was unable to get out of bed. The man was a baker in Spain and told Patricio about his experiences baking around Christmastime.

“Just the fact that he got to tell these stories to someone made him so alive,” said Patricio. “He’s changed so much. Every time I see him he’s so much more awake. People are so scared of dying and it’s so tough on them.

“It’s amazing to see the way people’s eyes light up when you touch them and you connect with them,” he said. “It’s just about making them enjoy their life and . . . showing them that you’re actually interested in the person – not the sickness.”

Patricio’s biggest inspiration is his grandmother, Louisa Patricio, who worked in the soup kitchens of his hometown of Durban, South Africa and volunteered with the Missionaries of Charity, the Roman Catholic religious order established by Mother Teresa.

What Patricio didn’t know about his grandmother at the time of his blossoming hospice career, was that she also did hospice work in South Africa after being injured in a car accident directly in front of a hospice. “It was weird how she never told me but we both kind of gravitated towards the same thing,” he said.

Volunteering was a catalyst in changing his life. In his first year at Ryerson, Patricio said he was “doing the bare minimum in school and life just to get by.” So he got his act together and sat down to write a list of goals he wanted to achieve.  

Today, he wakes up every morning to a list of his life goals, his yearly goals, and a cheque pinned onto a board  (a donation that he plans to make in 2017).

His friends often tease him as being a 40-year-old man since he juggles his active pastimes on top of being a full-time student. However, Patricio said his life has never been so rewarding.

“I set my goal and I stick to it. Two years ago when I set these goals I thought they were ridiculous and everyone around me thought they were ridiculous. But you know what? Every day it’s looking more and more real,” he said.   

“When you set up these goals you tend to adjust your life to make them happen.”

As a third-year marketing student, Patricio balances schoolwork and Brazilian  jiu-jitsu with a healthy dose of clubbing at night and charity in the morning.

He plans to continue with his Give the Gift of Giving program and is already set to triple the amount of donations raised this year and raise $9,000 for next year.

Patricio hopes to get youth involved and raise awareness about what a hospice is. He insists that “you don’t have to be a certain person to do this stuff.” He doesn’t believe that starting a school in Africa is necessary but he urges individuals to get involved with smaller agencies that are already tirelessly working.

“Don’t be a superhero,” he said. “You can just do your part and work with people that are doing a great thing out there already.”