A man found dead in his crashed vehicle in Shades Creek off Interstate 65 in Homewood is being remembered for his kind heart and his ability to always make friends.

The death of 51-year-old Patrick Anthony Vacarella is the second tragedy to strike his family.

His father, 43-year-old Sam Vacarella, was killed in 1991 along with four other top Bruno’s supermarket executives when their twin-engine jet crashed in Rome, Georgia.

In all, nine people died in the crash.

“I didn’t think I’d have to do this twice,’’ said Andra Vacarella Bollinger, sister and daughter of the two Vacarellas that died 32 years apart.

Patrick Vacarella was found dead in a crashed vehicle Sunday in Shades Creek off Interstate 65 in Homewood.

Homewood police responded to I-65 southbound just south of Lakeshore Parkway near an apartment complex just after 1:30 p.m. A passerby made the discovery and called 911.

He was pronounced dead on the scene at 1:47 p.m.

His sister’s Life360 app shows that Patrick Vacarella went out with friends Friday, March 10.

About 1 a.m. Saturday, they went to Waffle House to grab a bite to eat and then he headed home.

He was only on the road about 14 minutes before it appears his vehicle left the roadway and crashed into Shades Creek.

“I have his whole route,’’ Bollinger said. “He was thrown from the truck and there was no way he could have survived. He sat out there for a day and half.”

His vehicle was found submerged in five feet of water. Bollinger said her brother wasn’t wearing his seat belt and if he had, he would have drowned. “It’s horrific,’’ she said.

Patrick Vacarella, Bollinger said, never met a stranger.

“He had so many friends,’’ Bollinger said.

Many of them, she said, returned to the crash site to gather her brother’s personal belongings that were scattered about. “Which was awesome,’’ she said.

She said her brother drove for a living and she can’t imagine what happened to make him wreck. Police said they have no evidence any other vehicles were involved.

“He hasn’t had an accident since high school,’’ she said. “It doesn’t add up.”

Patrick Vacallera leaves behind a 19-year-old son who lived with him.

Social media memorials described him as an amazing father, son, brother and friend. He worked at the Mountain Scouts Christmas Tree Sale for decades, which he previously said was a healing place for him.

“He was the kind of guy if you were broken down on the side of the road, he would stop and help you,’’ Bollinger said. “He would give you the shirt off his back.”

“Everybody loved Patrick,’’ she said. “They really did.’’

Their father was killed Dec. 11, 1991.

Sam Vacarella was the senior vice president of merchandising for the Birmingham-based Bruno’s supermarket chain when he and the other Bruno’s executives were killed in the Georgia plan crash.

All nine passengers, including Bruno’s chairman Angelo Bruno and his brother, vice chairman Lee Bruno – died in the crash.

They were on the company’s annual Christmas tour of Bruno’s stores around the South. Two pilots and an advertising executive also were killed.

The group had been in Rome to carry out the company’s Christmastime tradition of flying to dozens of Bruno-owned stores delivering personal holiday greetings to employees and were en route to Huntsville.

Bollinger said it’s unbelievable that her family is now dealing with another tragedy.

“It’s not ever anything you can prepare for,’’ she said.