In 1990 he managed to damage or destroy at least five seperate churches in Gainesville, and quite possibly several others in the surrounding areas. One of the first victims was the First Episcopal Church in downtown Gainesville (my family used to attend church there reguarlly when I was a child, and my father would sometimes give services, as he is an ordained Episcopal minister). The entire structure was turned to ash save for the bell tower (the bell inside was melted), and part of one stained glass window.
Another church (Church Of God) was similarly obliterated. A third (Christian Scientist Church) was badly damaged but could be rebuilt within its original frame. The fourth church suffered minor damage to its kitchen area, because Patrick Lee Frank was intruded upon before he could finish his work.
Ironically, while not the same institution, Patrick Lee Frank escaped from a similar mental hospital only weeks before he went on his Church-burning spree.
The times after the fiery death of so many of Gainesville's churches was a hard one, but the community stuck together. It did not take long to capture Patrick (after all, he is mentally incompetent and disturbed), and the churches that were unscathed put forth a very sincere and serious show of support. Many welcomed the churchless congrations into their own places of worship while the rebuilding went on.
But that never stopped me from feeling sympathy for those that lost their places of worship. It didn't prevent me from feeling a certain amount of loss, even if it was more for nostalgia. And I'll never forget having to tell my own mother that her church had burnt to the ground, and having to hold her while she cried.
Just remember this next time you or someone you know feels that "insanity" means you can just lock someone up and they'll never bother you again...