Patrick Kong Meng Yang

Patrick Kong Meng Yang, 30, passed away on August 31, 2026, in San Diego, California, surrounded by the love of his family, uncles, aunties, cousins, and dear friends.

Patrick was born on June 19, 1996, to Lue and Ying Yang. From a young age, Patrick had a special way of connecting with people. He carried a warm smile wherever he went and had the ability to make someone he had just met feel as though they had been friends for years. He was kind, outgoing, loving, and full of life. To know Patrick was to know his smile, his laughter, and the genuine way he cared for people.

Patrick loved spending time with his family and friends. He enjoyed golfing, playing pickleball, dancing, and simply being around the people he loved. Some of the most meaningful moments in Patrick's life were not necessarily the biggest occasions, but the everyday moments—laughing, talking, making memories, and enjoying life with those around him.

Patrick also had a passion for bringing people together. He was deeply involved in the Hmong community and the local business community. An entrepreneur at heart, Patrick owned his own marketing company and was a co-owner with his dad, Lue Yang of Charlotte Business Owners, where he helped create networking opportunities and connections among local business owners. For Patrick, business was about more than making a living. It was about relationships, helping others succeed, building community, and creating opportunities for people to support one another.

Patrick touched the lives of more people than he probably ever realized. He was the type of person who could walk into a room and make it brighter. Whether someone had known him for many years or had only recently met him, Patrick welcomed them with the same smile and genuine interest. He made people feel seen, welcomed, and valued.

Patrick was saved at a young age and knew Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. His family finds comfort in their faith and in knowing that Patrick is now with the Lord. Although his time here was far shorter than anyone wanted, his life was filled with love, friendship, purpose, and countless memories that will continue through everyone who knew him.

Patrick is survived by his loving parents, Lue and Ying Yang; his brother, Matthew; his sisters, Kayla and Lilyanna; his brother-in-law, Mark Vang; and his many uncles, aunties, cousins, extended family members, and friends. His uncles and aunties held a particularly special place in his life, with many loving him and caring for him as though he were their own son.

Patrick was preceded in death by his grandfather and great-grandmother. He is also remembered alongside two little ones his family never had the opportunity to meet—his mother's baby lost through miscarriage after Patrick's birth and a baby lost through his sister's miscarriage. Though their genders were never known and their lives were brief, they remain part of the family's story and are lovingly remembered.

Patrick's family will celebrate his life on October 17–18, 2026, at the Hickory Metro Convention Center in Hickory, North Carolina. Burial will follow the Sunday service at Catawba Memorial Park. In honor of Patrick, family and friends are invited to wear royal purple as everyone comes together to remember, honor, and celebrate his life.

Patrick was only 30 years old, but the measure of his life cannot be found in the number of years he lived. It can be found in the people he loved, the friendships he built, the businesses and communities he supported, the laughter he shared, and the countless lives he touched.

His family will forever miss his smile, his voice, his laughter, his energy, and simply having him near. There will always be an empty place that only Patrick could fill.

But Patrick's story does not end with his passing. His love remains in his family. His influence remains in his community. His memory remains in his friends. And his family holds firmly to the promise that, because of his faith in Christ, this goodbye is not forever.

Patrick was deeply loved, he lived a meaningful life, and he will never be forgotten.

Please sign the online guestbook on the Memorial Wall at www.jenkinsfuneralhome.net. The Yang family has entrusted arrangements to Jenkins Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Newton, 828-464-1555.