I was an 11H TOW mechanized infantry in the Army. I served mostly in Germany as an E4 specialist. I was an expert rifleman at every weapon I picked up and enjoyed shooting very much. I was called back in for Desert Storm through the IRR. I enjoyed the brotherhood I experienced in the Army. I am also the Commander of the Mansfield VFW Post 6757.
I was an Electrician with the IBEW Local 139 and worked as a Superintendent for John Mills Electric for 30 years. I ran large multi-million dollar projects. They included: Corning, Inc. research, glass plants, gas turbine power plants, schools and colleges like Cornell University.
I am married to my amazing wife Julie, who has been everything to me. We have been together for 34 wonderful years. I have been missing her very much since she took an Administrator position in Delaware. I just had the peritoneal dialysis operation, which allows more freedom, so I can now go back and forth with her to work. Not being with my wife- life is not right.
We miss traveling. She is about seeing the world, and I am about giving it to her. We have three wonderful children and three wonderful grandchildren. I can really say we have the best family life. They all worry and check up on me quite often.
Two years ago, my wife made me go to the ER. After blood work they sent me to a larger Hospital, and I was in the ICU/hospital for 17 days. In the time my body was shutting down from a very rare disease call GPA. My lungs were bleeding, heart shutting down, dry heaving everything, and my kidneys shutting down to zero function.
I lost 50 pounds of muscle. I couldn’t hold my arms up. They used steroids and experimental drugs on me to put the disease into remission. All my organs came back working fine, except for my kidneys. The first year, I was very weak. In my second year, I am stronger.
Traveling with my wife is very important. She needs a break off and on from a very stressful job. Traveling also gives her more time with the grandkids. I am doing volunteer work now through the VFW, and I golf and play pool when I can.
In December of 2023, I started dialysis and have been added to the transplant list; I am hoping to receive a living donor. My wife Julie and my sister tried to give me a kidney, but unfortunately, neither one was able to be medically cleared. I am now looking for someone outside my family.
For medically cleared donors, giving the gift of life through living kidney donation has been proven to be very safe. DOVE will assist all prospective donors throughout the process and make sure they do not incur any out-of-pocket expenses related to the evaluation or surgery. A healthy person can live a normal life with one kidney and save Rick‘s life with the other!
Your support, whether through spreading the word on social media or considering becoming a donor, can make a profound impact on his life and the life of his family!
Please click on the link below if you would like to learn more OR call (551) 233-1611