Remembering Ricky.....the final post

This will be the final post on Deal with the Real. My wish is that Remembering Ricky will serve as an archive of reader and followers final comments, perspectives, thoughts, quotes, wisdom or sermons. Charles, Adam and I will enjoy hearing from you and will cherish this blog and your comments now and in the future. The photo below was taken on March 28. It will forever be a precious reminder of how fortunate I am to have these men in my life. 

Google stats are amazing. They keep track of who is viewing, from where and how often the pages on Deal with the Real are viewed. 

Rick labored over writing each post. In a November 2013 issue titled Two years and counting..... he wrote, "Writing a blog is not easy for me and honestly not that much fun. I resonated with the feeling shared by a fellow cancer blogger who wrote that if he had known he was going to live this long he would not have started blogging so soon!! But, I AM happy to share great news and, when it comes, will share the sad news as well."

Deal with the Real has 70 official followers  but it's evident more were reading. Rick often wondered how people stumbled onto it. He also wondered why so few people left  written comments.  Many people gave him feedback directly encouraging him to keep writing. He would have enjoyed more written responses, ones that he could savor or ponder by going back to them when he was discouraged. Norway, Russia, France??? Thank you Google for helping to keep track of Deal with the Real readers. 
 
Rick would be skeptical, but also approving, of the Celebration of Life Service we have planned in his memory on April 8. I think he would also appreciate the photo we selected and the lyrics to this lovely song that was sent to me by a dear friend in the darkest hours of this journey.  Its not that we think he wouldn't approve of the service itself. His skepticism would be toward the use of technology needed to successfully hold a joint service between Pilgrims Mennonite in Akron, PA and Salem-Zion Mennonite in Freeman, SD. Hopefully he is watching over this event and people on both sides will have a good experience. 

Our family wishes to convey sincerest appreciation for your prayers and support throughout Ricky's 40-month journey with pancreatic cancer. It was especially important to us in his last days while we were traveling in Freeman. He was a wonderful man and will be dearly missed. There will always be an empty chair at our table. 

Memorial gifts may be designated to Ricky’s Tuba Fund at Freeman Academy. With band director, Donna Ries, he agreed that his memorial would be use to purchase a new tuba. Checks may be sent directly to Freeman Academy at PO Box 1000, Freeman, SD 57029 or to Barb Schrag at 16 South 12th Street, Apt A, Akron, PA 17501. Thank you in advance for your generosity.