VICTORIA, Seychelles — The Seychelles community is mourning the sudden passing of Dr Patrick Commettant at the age of 54, who was laid to rest today at the Parish Cemetery of Bel Ombre, the district he came from. According to his family, they were unaware of any illness. The outpouring of messages on social media showed how deeply he impacted the lives of those around him. He is remembered as a familiar face at the Beau Vallon health centre, where he worked tirelessly for more than five years, providing exceptional care to his patients.
His only sister, Genny Commettant, said that Pat came from a modest family in Bel Ombre, one of five siblings. ‘Pat and I were inseparable,’ she said. Rita Padayachy, his partner of 26 years, said she met him on February 19, 1999 at the Exile Club, and that they have a son, Shane, who will turn 20 this year. Ms Padayachy described Dr Commettant as ‘full of life’. ‘He was a joker and loved to sing. He was very serious about his work, but he also knew how to enjoy his time off. He did not judge people by their status,’ she said.
Dr Commettant completed his schooling in Bel Ombre before joining the National Youth Service for two years and later pursuing post-secondary Humanities and Science studies. He then studied medicine at the University of Zimbabwe for seven years, and upon his return, joined the Ministry of Health, where he worked at the casualty for 12 years. Jude Preira, a close friend, recalled him as the most talented volleyball player he had ever coached and played with, who also represented the national under-21 team before his medical career took precedence.
