Patricio Segura Ortiz, journalist, environmental leader, and one of Patagonia's fiercest defenders, died on August 21, 2026, at the Hospital Guillermo Grant Benavente in Concepción, Chile, after being airlifted from Coyhaique with hantavirus. He was 54. His family announced the news simply: "With great sorrow, we tell you that our beloved dad and Pato passed away today." It is a tremendous loss for everyone who cares about Patagonia, its environment, and the people who call it home.