Alabama hotel owner remembered for his kindness and connection
By Cathleen Draper
As Mehul (Mike) Patel was driving to meet friends in downtown Mobile, AL, on Saturday, October 10, he came across a driver trapped in an overturned car that had lost control and struck a guardrail. Mehul stopped his own vehicle on the highway and attempted to help the other driver.
That’s when a passing vehicle struck the overturned car and Mehul, leaving him with life-threatening injuries. The driver fled the scene, and Mehul was rushed to a hospital, where he died.
Mehul, 45, owned the Super Inn in Tillman’s Corner, a community about 15 minutes southwest of Mobile proper. He died as he lived, according to his close friend and AAHOA Member Alpesh Patel, who referred to him as “my little brother.”
Mehul wasn’t just a brother to Alpesh – he was family to those in his close-knit group of lifelong friends, affectionately dubbed Homies4Life. His love and legacy will live on in the group.
“There were certain things we always depended on Mehul for, and somehow he always delivered beyond our expectations,” Alpesh said.
Mehul was family- and community-oriented.Mischievous and playful when he was younger, Mehul transformed when his first daughter was born, becoming the “ultimate girl dad.” He leaves behind three daughters, Ishani, Aneri, and Milani, and his wife, Priya.
He was also known for his hospitality and cooking, especially during gatherings around holidays like Diwali and Navaratri. And at community gatherings with hundreds of attendees, Mehul would be the one to make sure the staff working the event were fed.
Mehul befriended strangers and showed up for others. Known by his friends as “MacGyver,” he was the one they called when they ran into issues at their hotels – he could fix anything. When he and his family and friends went out to eat, he often picked up the tab. He formed such close connections with staff at his two favorite restaurants that they delivered food to mourners and attended prayer services.
And though he only owned one hotel in the area, he was always there for his fellow hotel owners and friends, showing up during emergencies without question.
“He was a gift to the community,” Alpesh said. “Mehul was the one that took care of us.”
Before the crash, Mehul had spent the day with his family and friends watching a football game and going out to dinner. He had brought his daughters home that evening and checked on the Super Inn before heading back out.
“We have to believe that God intended him to see that car and help those people,” said Alpesh. “That was Mehul. He wanted to stop. He wanted to help them.”
“Mehul Patel’s actions reflect the best of humanity,” said AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake. “He put the safety of others ahead of his own and stepped in to help people he did not know. Our thoughts are with his wife, daughters, family, and friends as they grieve this tragic loss.”
“Indian American hoteliers are an important part of the communities they serve. They build businesses, raise families, help their neighbors, and step up when others need them,” said AAHOA Chairman Rahul Patel. “Mehul Patel’s decision to help strangers in a moment of crisis is a powerful example of these values in action. His story reminds us that our industry is about more than running a business. It is about people, service, and the responsibility we have to one another.”
Photo Courtesy of Alpesh Patel
Leave a Reply