BEAUMONT, Texas — A Southeast Texas radio legend has passed away.
Sanders has spent 31 years on Southeast Texas radio.
Born in Oklahoma, Sanders was raised in in Orange, Little Cypress and Bridge City, according to the station's website.
He got his start on the radio in 1990 at 18-years-old.
He spent the first few years at the local Contemporary Christian Station 92.5 KTFA, as well as weekends at KD97 and weekends Power Hits K106.
He eventually wound up at Q94 in 1993.
Close friends of Sanders tell 12News he was a family man, who had a love for music. They say it feels like they've lost a brother.
"Patrick Sanders, to know him was to love him," said Tammy Daye, the midday host on KAYD 101.7.
Daye worked alongside Sanders for 25 years at Cumulus Media.
"Patrick always had a smile. He was always a happy person, a positive person and his kindness and his smile will always be with me," she said.
"Patrick was kind of like a brother that drove you crazy," said programming director of q-94, Brandin Shaw, also known as B-Shaw.
Sanders was the afternoon host of the 5:00 Jam, replacing Tommy "Jammer" Muzzillo after his death.
"It's deja vu, almost feeling that we're going through this all over again and we just did it in 2021," Shaw said.
Outside of work, Sanders was a father and a new grandfather of one. He also ran a mobile DJ business in his spare time.
"On the weekends he also had a mobile business that he did a lot of weddings and receptions and functions like that," said Shaw.
Daye says the airwaves will never be the same without him.
"When you lose a family member, it's difficult on all of us but we know that we've had the opportunity to work with such a great guy and we're gonna miss him," Daye said.
Sanders was 51-years-old. He is survived by two daughters and a son.