Prominent Atlanta attorney dies in drowning accident off Georgia coast

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — A prominent Atlanta attorney has died after he drowned in riptides on the beach at a popular Georgia island.

Glynn County fire and rescue confirmed to Channel 2′s sister station Action News Jax that Page Pate drowned at Gould’s Inlet on St. Simons Island.

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Pate and his son got caught up in the rip current as they were swimming on Sunday. Only his son escaped the rip current.

“Page Pate was many things to many people—a husband, a father, a son, a mentor, a colleague, a friend, and most prominently, a trial lawyer, one who poured himself into his practice and fought hard for his clients. Above all, he was a true gentleman who embodied service and grace,” his law firm Pate, Johnson & Church wrote in a statement to Channel 2.

Pate is survived by his wife Elizabeth, two sons, his parents and younger brother. He was 55 years old.

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Pate graduated from Woodward Academy in Atlanta and earned his undergraduate degree from Georgia State University and his law degree from the University of Georgia. He worked for several prominent law firms before he started his own practice.

Pate also was a founding member of the Georgia Innocence Project, which works to seek justice for people who have been wrongfully convicted. He served on the board for more than 20 years.

“The Georgia Innocence Project family is heartbroken at the passing of our dear friend, colleague, and board member Page Pate,” the group wrote in a statement. “Above all else, we will remember Page’s kindness and generosity, always willing to give anything he could to help, whether it be a personal matter or professional, and never asking for anything in return.”

Pate, Johnson & Church said that Pate loved to travel with his sons and attend NASCAR races. The law firm said it will remember his smile the most.

“Though he was a formidable, sometimes intimidating, attorney in the courtroom, Page had an easy smile, an earnest laugh, and a great sense of humor. He was guided by his faith and his creator, but he had an open heart and an open mind to all.”

Funeral arrangements for Pate are pending.

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