RICKY: THE MAN OF MANY NAMES

Below is Stephanie's talk from Ricky's funeral. I hope you will enjoy reading and remembering this terrific young man.

RICKY: THE MAN OF MANY NAMES

Reman: He was my baby brother. Reman, Shalaine, and I were what was deemed the “2nd Family” around our house…or the “spoiled ones” as my brother’s call us. Being only 6 when Reman was born I didn’t understand the severity of his condition. I think that was also due in part to how my mom continued to make life as normal as possible for my sister and I. Shalaine and I loved dressing up Reman like a girl, making him play barbies with us, and laying on his bed watching movies for hours. I took many trips to LA Children’s hospital with Reman. He endured the many hospital visits with a cheerful attitude while I looked forward to the Yoshinoa afterward. I don’t know how a child as sick as Reman could endure it with such an amazingly positive attitude. A remarkable trait that he carried throughout his life.

Rickster: He was an oldies fan. More than that he was OBSESSED with the Beatles…I like to think I introduced them to him. He has posters of them covering his walls, he knows every word to every song, I even think he has nesting dolls that look like the Beatles. Everyone in the family inherited some form of OCD from my mom, and Rickster’s was definitely manifest in the Beatles. Rickster also loved all things having to do with crime drama’s. CSI, Law and Order, Crossing Jordon…he has seen every episode of every series. We considered having the Law and Order theme song as our opening song…but since it has no words we opted for something else. Rickster loved Harry Potter. He has read every book…5 times, plus listened to them on tape, plus watched all the movies. I’m sure he is in heaven right now upset that he hasn’t seen the forth coming movies.

Slickdog: He was the Ultimate Gamer. Slickdog loved Monopoly. He would take on anyone at anytime. It didn’t matter if it was beatles monopoly, golf monopoly, wizard of oz monopoly, or Utah monopoly…he loved it. The only person he couldn’t beat was my brother Greg, then just this Christmas he masacared him at Wii Monopoly. Slickdog loved video games and bowling as well. Anything he could play and enjoy with other people he was up for…as long as he wonJ Slickdog loved the Anaheim Angels. He would go to the games any chance he got. Slickdog would participate in our family baseball fantasy league only if he could have Vladamir Gurrero and Garret Anderson. I remember him chastising my mom for going to the games just for the food—how could she desecrate his players like that? Although I think part of the reason he loved them is because the team wore his favorite color in the whole world-Red.

Richard George: He was the serious side. Although I will go on the record that he hated to be called his full name. Richard George was stalwart about the gospel. When he was 8 he wanted to be baptized. Not because everyone else was doing it…but because he knew it was an important step in his progression in the gospel. It seemed like an impossibility to all of us since he couldn’t get any water in his trach and total immersion in the water was what was required. But Richard George perservered—he found a way to do it and was baptized. When Richard George was 18 he wanted to serve a mission. Again this seemed impossible to us. How can someone with 24 hour nursing and constant doctor visits serve a 2 year mission? But Richard George found a way to do it and served a 2 year full time service mission in the family history center. Richard George also wanted to be temple endowed. Many of us told him he didn’t need to do that, that it could wait until later. But Richard George knew he needed to make those important promises in the temple to progress and so he did it. Richard George served faithfully in all his callings and attended his meetings and activites. I remember him scolding me once for leaving after sacrament meeting—although it irritated me at the time I knew he was right. Richard George loved the Lord and wanted to follow his commandments and serve him.

Rick: He was the stubborn, enduring side. Rick and I thought we were the most stubborn people we knew…and we were right! But without that stubborn streak I don’t think he could have made it through 40+ surgeries, physical limitations, constant illness and pain, and several near death experiences. He fought for life with every breath he took. He didn’t want to just lay in bed he wanted to battle his limitations and enjoy life. Even when he was extremely sick he would tell us “I’m Fine”. Rick did not want to be seen for what he couldn’t do, but for what he could do. He graduated from high school, attended college, he traveled, and he served at the Children’s museum and at the nursing home. Even in his last few weeks on earth he battled against all odds. He made improvements the doctors never thought he could and continued to amaze us all. Rick truly endured till the bitter end.

Ricky: what he always wanted to be called. Ricky was the social butterfly, party animal, the thoughtful friend. Ricky started having parties at age one: it was a Disney party and everyone that knew him came to the house to celebrate. He went on to have Power Ranger parties, pool parties, game parties, chocolate fountain parties, oldies dance parties, catered parties, and surprise parties. Ricky never met a party he didn’t like and he was the life of that party. He was zooming around in his wheelchair talking to people, dancing, making sure there was enough food, and having fun. Ricky loved people. If he couldn’t be around people, he was calling people, he was emailing people, he was texting people. He craved social interaction and it fueled him. Ricky always had other’s best intentions in mind. He wanted to give all his friends and family gifts for every occasion. He was constantly giving advice to his friends, family, and nurses. No wonder he wanted to be psychologist!

I will remember my brother as all these things: as Reman, my little brother with a positive attitude, Rickster: the guy with great taste in music and in crime dramas, Slickdog: who would do anything for a game of monopoly or a night at the stadium, Richard George: who loved the Lord and sought to serve him, Rick: a guy who fought against all odds, enduring till the end, and Ricky: the thoughtful social party animal. I know that he is with my mom right now, throwing a party in heaven, smiling, knowing it was all worth it.