A Celebration of Rich: Tributes

[Luvlylittlewing]

He was a good guy!

[bizzysmom]

Hi Everyone,

Yesterday was three years without Richard.   Elizabeth and I went to dinner with Mimi and Richard's sister Kriste.  We smiled and told Richard stories....as you all know, there are A LOT of them.  We smile each day knowing he is at peace and in a better place.  There will always be a whole in our hearts though.  I have spent years laughing a things he did and crying over things I did - believe me, there is such a thing as survivors guilt.  I still have a text message Richard sent me in April of 2010 saying that he loved me and what great friends we became again.  I have read that so many times to remind me that things were good - even if we were fighting - they were good.  There was still love for each other-just a different kind.

Elizabeth starts 10th grade next week.  She also has her learners permit (if you live close to Atlanta.....be careful!)   She drives in the neighborhood or some of the side streets but not on larger/more congested roads.  I am going to sign her up for private driving lessons.  I'm not sure my nerves can handle driving on busy roads.  I think I already have a hole in my passenger floor.  She isn't "dating" anyone right now.  Dating in our world is hanging around each other.   Much to her disliking, I think 15 is too young for a car date. 

Our lives have calmed back down in the past year.  Elizabeth is still in contact with her "brothers" and has seen them many times in the past year.  We even spent time together at Christmas.   She will always have a bond with them!  She is an amazing girl.  Not only is she beautiful, but she has a very sweet loving heart.  She also have her dads quick wit - she comes up with some funny one liners.

[bizzysmom]

As you can tell, I am not good at doing this - some of my message isn't on the last post. 

I think I was still bragging about Elizabeth    

We still talk about Richard daily  - we miss him but know he is watching over us.  His best friend Stephen came to visit us this summer and we had such a good time - lots of laughs.  He is keeping in touch with Elizabeth which is something Richard would have loved.  She is reminded all the time how much her daddy loved her.   She is a lot like him-

Anyway, its late but I wanted to take some time to update you on Elizabeth.

Thank you-
Marcia

[southendmd]

Thank you, Marcia, for your updates, and for the photo.  They are very important to us.

I'm glad you and Elizabeth are doing well.  There is so much of Richard, and you, in her.  She was truly the light of his life. 

He is obviously a big part of this community, and we miss him as well. 

I know he would be very proud.

Paul

[Katie77]

Oh, she is so beautiful.........and how wonderful for Marcia to contact us.

I am sure with a mum like her, she is going to be a happy well adjusted adult, with lovely memories of her Daddy.

How lucky she is to be loved by so many.

[Penthesilea]

Thank you Marcia, for your words and the update on Elisabeth. I had hoped you would check in with us. Thank you so much for doing so.
The photo - oh my gosh! Everything child-like is completely gone and she's really a young woman now. And a beautiful one at that. I wouldn't have recognized her, knowing her from earlier photos only.
I'm glad to hear she's doing well, and in contact with Gene's sons and Rich's friend. Already having a learner's permit - wow, that is something I can hardly imagine coming from a country where you can't drive at such a young age.
I'm sad and happy to see what a difference three years make. Happy because I know how proud Rich would be, happy to learn she's doing fine. But also sad because I can't believe it's already three years that Rich is gone. He should have shared those years and many more with her and with all his family.

Like Paul already said, our community also misses Rich dearly and he's still part of us.

Wishing Elisabeth and you all the best!
Chrissi

[CellarDweller]

Wow!

Marcia, Bizzy's beautiful.  Rich would be so proud!  There wasn't a conversation that would happen between he and I where he didn't mention her in some way.

[Mandy21]

Thanks for taking the time to do this, Marcia.  Told ya folks would be pleased to see Bizzy again.  Take care, good friend.

[Kelda]

Marcia,

Thanks so much for the update.

Bizzy has turned into such a gorgeous young woman. Richard would indeed be very very proud.

And he would agree with you about the 'car date' I am a 100% sure!

I'm glad Bizzy is keeping in touch with her 'Brothers' and her Dad's old friends.

 Kelda x

[Meryl]

I've just been sitting here looking at the photo or Rich on the front page...looking at that handsome young man, so young, with a future in front of him, happy there beside his horse, unaware that we would be looking at that photo after he was gone.

I thought of his daughter, his partner Gene, his parents, his siblings, and I thought about all of his friends, particularly the ones he met through here. Some he met in real life and formed life long friendships and the promise of meeting up again as soon as they could....I feel their sadness, of not being able to meet up again, but I envy them their memories of when they did. Then there were the friends that never got to meet him in "real life", those of us that may have occassionally posted on his blog, replied to something he may have written, some who got very close by more contact on here with him than others, and some who like me, had just read his story.

No matter how much or how little he touched our lives, his loss is still felt, whether we knew him or not, we still miss him, and today is a reminder of how much we do miss him, and miss that there was not more to his story, miss that there is not a more recent photo of him, just miss that he isn't still here with us.

Anyone reading this, knows what I mean. Everyone misses him, for all different reasons, their own stories about him, which bring a smile which can easily turn into a tear.....While ever we feel like that, he will always be part of us.

You said it so well, Sue, thank you.   And thank you, Marcia, for the update and the lovely picture.