Morgan Patten, the beloved only child of Steve & Renee Patten, had big dreams and a bright future. On 11/8/19, she traveled to Jacksonville, NC to visit her fiancé, a Marine stationed at Camp Geiger. But just hours before they were supposed to reunite, Morgan lost her life under deeply suspicious circumstances. She somehow ended up in a truck with two men she had just met—something completely out of character for her—and was killed in a violent crash that left more questions than answers. For years, Steve & Renee have fought for the truth of their daughter’s murder, only to be met with resistance from civilian & military authorities at every turn. They continue their fight for justice. At the time of Morgan’s murder, she had many more miles to go. To honor the life she should have had, Steve & Renee founded Morgan’s Miles to Go Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to providing educational, recreational, and artistic opportunities for youth and young adults.

As told by us, her parents, Steve and Renee Patten

She was one of the rare ones so effortlessly herself, and the world loved her for it.

-Atticus Finch