BATON ROUGE – A promising future was cut short when 21-year-old Patricia Saidu, a beloved daughter, sister, and friend, died in a fiery car crash along I-10 near LaPlace earlier this week. She was a graduate of Liberty High School in Baton Rouge.
Patricia, a chemistry graduate of Xavier University on a pre-med track, was known for her positivity, faith, and determination. Her older brother, Patrick Saidu, who shared an especially close bond with her, says her legacy will live on through the countless lives she touched.
A Sibling Bond Like No Other
“We attended all the same schools together, had the same teachers. She set the path, and I followed,” Saidu said through tears. “She was always smiling, always uplifting. Patricia never let things weigh her down. She finished her bachelor’s degree in just three years—that was just the kind of hard worker she was.”
The siblings, just over a year apart in age and their parents’ only children, grew up side-by-side. Saidu remembers their school days like stepping stones that Patricia carved out first. “She made student of the year in middle school, and I felt like I had to live up to the standard she set,” he said with a soft laugh. “But she never made it a competition. She just wanted the best for me.”
Driven by Faith and Education
Patricia’s faith was central to who she was. A member of Bethany Church, she lived with a quiet confidence in God. Her uncle, Dr. Leone Elliott, a physician and mentor, guided her through her academic journey, encouraging her to pursue medicine after excelling in chemistry. “She was on the right path,” Saidu said. “She truly loved her studies. She was going to make a difference.”
The Night of the Accident
That future was stolen on Sunday night. According to Louisiana State Police, Patricia’s car collided head-on with an SUV driving the wrong way on I-10 after coming off U.S. 51 in LaPlace in St. John the Baptist Parish. Both vehicles caught fire. Troopers say Patricia’s car spun out, pinned against a concrete pillar, and quickly became engulfed in flames. Despite rescue efforts, she could not be saved…