Rick was a friend to the world. He made a lasting impression on all he met, leaving you with the feeling that something in you had changed, even if you couldn’t pinpoint what it was. His kind welcoming demeanor was infectious, with a hearty laugh or a welcoming hand, he was always there for you. With Rick, it didn’t exactly matter how long you knew him, within a few minutes a friendship was born.

 

When he wasn’t pouring himself into his career, he spent much of his free time mountain biking, hiking, golfing, wakeboarding, boating, cliff diving and, one of his great loves, skiing. He had an insatiable appetite for his hobbies and loved nothing more than sharing in them with his friends and family.

 

Born in New Jersey and raised in Vernon, moving to Kinnelon in Middle School, Rick thoroughly loved the town he spent his teenage years in. He attended Kinnelon High School where he was a friend to everyone, played football, lacrosse and skied for USSA. After graduating he joined the United States Air Force and served for five years as a Senior Airman. His time in the Air Force took him to North Dakota, South Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Colorado cultivating a curiosity that would drive him to travel to new places when he had the opportunity.

 

After the Air Force he attended Ramapo College in New Jersey, where he earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in political science. Always looking to pay it forward, he became the vice president of the Ramapo Veterans Club, helping fellow veterans transition from military service to college life, and in doing so, received multiple honors. Upon graduation he took on a struggling project for Millennium Communications Group in Massachusetts and quickly turned the project around with a steadfast attention to detail and a can-do attitude. When he went to work for Blue Sky Diesel Exhaust Fluid Company as the Area Business Manager for the Northeast, he set an ambitious career path for himself and achieved a great deal, in his usual style, far exceeding his years.

 

Though he loved, lived, and made a home in New Jersey, Rick had a special place in his life for Vermont. No matter where his travels took him, he would always return to Vermont, where he could ski in the winter and boat, wakeboard, swim and hike in the summer. It was here that Rick spent many of his summers as a child and teenager, and here where he would return as often as possible. Visiting and caring for his grandparents, enjoying the lake with family and friends, Vermont was one of his happy places. His life was cut too short, but there is comfort in knowing his last day was spent in a place he loved above all others.

 

Everyone who spent time with Rick knew just how special he was. This was our Rick. He loved more, lived more, helped more, and strived more, all with a beaming smile and distinctive laugh that has been silenced, but not forgotten. To those of us who feel the deep loss of this curious, kind, impactful soul, there is nothing left to do but honor the life he lived and try in some way to emulate all the magnetism, generosity and zeal for life Rick possessed.

 

We invite you to honor this remarkable young man’s life and legacy by joining us in our endeavor to Do It For Rick. Skiing harder than we’ve ever skied. Hitting a golf drive that would’ve made him proud. Hiking to the top of the mountain, no matter how tired, just to soak in the view. Pedaling faster, jumping higher, gliding smoother, all while carrying on the quiet work Rick did in his own life, by making the world around us a little better because we’re in it, because Rick was in ours. The For Rick Foundation has been established to pay it forward as a tribute to a man who has made a profound impact on the world around him.