Today we’d like to introduce you to Patrick Demarco

Hi Patrick, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?

While I could serve out every colorful detail of my delightfully bizarre life, we could be here all damn day! However, I will say that my story truly begins each new day when I wake up and am feeling grateful to be here, just doing my thing! I strongly encourage anyone and everyone to adopt that mentality. Just being alive in this moment is the greatest opportunity we could ever ask for. We must own each second and keep visually writing our pages like our lives depend on it! Because they honestly do.

I was raised in flawless Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and I’ve been a Philly resident for fifteen years strong. Music and the performing arts have and still do play a major role on the stage of my life. In fact, I don’t know where I would be today without them! After running a successful DJ business in my 20s, I finally decided to put my college journalism skills to some good use about ten years ago and grabbed a chance to write at Philadelphia Magazine. I’m very happy to say that my writing career has been elevating ever since, and there will be no stopping anytime soon! From Philly Mag, I created and directed Philly Mixtape, which was an all-inclusive arts and entertainment blog featuring some of the city’s brightest and boldest entertainers from all walks and struts of life!

But I must say…. it was very hard to manage a successful writing career and event promotion blog when you’re battling a hardcore meth addiction. Yes, that was me. For quite some time. Until I nearly died several times. It was in those final moments of despair that I found the strength to come up with my biggest creative adventure, a visualized life romance novel called, “You Got This, Bitch!”

What I thought would be a story about finding yourself through the powers of creativity and so much more, became a completely different one after losing both of my remaining grandparents on my Mom and Dad’s side… within two weeks of each other. What goes up must come down, right? And there I was, finally at the top of my life and creative game, only to have to go right back to the drawing board.

But I faced it, and now, here we are! Five torture-filled years later, I’m ecstatic to be in the search for a proper home for the finished product. Can’t wait to see what the new year brings! Trust me, I’m ready!

On the crazy chessboard of life, we can make any moves we desire. But standing still should never be one of them. I had to learn the hard way, and it turned out to be one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever accomplished! When we face our deepest fears, the possibilities are deliciously endless.

My solid advice to anyone is to come to play chess, not checkers! It’s always your move, whether you believe it or not! So start believing!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

To be honest, one of my biggest current challenges has been finding solid mental ground after dealing with so much loss these past few years. The underlying, undeniable power of grief changed everything for me—mind, body, and soul! There is simply no denying that! But what it did was leave me a little rattled that something else could be taken away at any moment, and that’s okay. I know that it’s just the loss trying to do its annoying thing, but we must never let it. We must believe that those who have left us are watching our every move, and we must show them how strong we can be. Even on those weird days when we feel a little shaky.

And although we’ve turned a corner as of recently, finding emotional connection with certain family members has also been a struggle of mine. In my tumultuous experiences, sometimes dealing with family can be more challenging than getting off drugs, especially during times of grief. Shit gets rough! While I will never tell anyone how to handle their family business, I will say that setting proper boundaries always helps—especially during the holidays! Hey, family isn’t perfect, but no one is! Keep doing YOU for YOU, and that’s all that should matter!

The ultimate Ferris Wheel ride of life is just too short for anything else!

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?

I just love to create and do.. it all! Whether writing a book or poetry, serving visuals through life lessons learned, spilling music and pop culture tidbits, or just saying things out loud for the world to hear, there’s no creative limit!! My content is a variety pack of sorts, and I look forward to the journey every single day I get to put it out there! I encourage everyone and anyone to test their creative limits and see what happens! Might just be some wonderful magic in there! Hey, you never know until you fire those authentic shots!

And if you want to read (or see!) more, don’t be shy and give me a follow on Insta!!

@demarcocommapatrick

Cheers!!

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?

Oh, how there are so many!! I blissfully remember hanging out at my Grandmom’s pool with my cousins and chilling out in her back room listening to Debbie Gibson and Whitney Houston! On cassette tapes, nonetheless. Not to age myself or anything!

I also remember the first time I fell in love with the stage and the performing arts. In 5th grade, I joined the choir, and I had the opportunity to sing my first solo! While I was already obsessed with music by that time, being in the center of it all was truly the place to be! And from there, I sang and acted all through high school until I started my infamous DJ’ing career. Music has always been with me, even in my writing journey. You just have to fit those Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX references somewhere in the word jungle!

But perhaps my fondest memory is when I was in kindergarten and decided to sing Madonna’s ‘Like a Virgin’ at the top of my little lungs… while I was in the bathroom. Of course, I got in trouble, but it was so worth it.

I realized right then and there.. . I am who I am… because I am who I am!

And you should be, too! The memories are guaranteed to last a lifetime!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @demarcocommapatrick

Image Credits

All photos by me!