Update2 (11/23/25): Rick has received a liver transplant (11/21/25) and is currently recovering in the hospital. He has a long road to recovery ahead. To manage his care, he will be staying in Seattle for about two month and will be traveling to the hospital multiple time a week for doctors appointments. Thank you to everyone that has donated, it has meant the world to him and his family. Any continued support is extremely appreciated as Rick is unable to work during his recovery which will span several months.

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Update1: Rick's doctors have determined it is best if he does not return to work for now. We are in the process of claiming temporary disability though this process will take several weeks. We've been able to enroll him in medial insurance through the state which is a relief moving forward. The donations have been a significant help towards paying for medications as well basic necessities such as food and keeping gas in his car to make it back and forth to medical appointments as he has not been able to work for a couple weeks now. We want to thank everyone for being so generous, you have all helped tremendously in relieving at least some of the stress he is facing right now!

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This gofundme was started by the family of Rick Heath, to help with medical bills and ease the burden as he faces an unexpected and serious medical crisis.

Recently, Rick was admitted to the hospital with severe groin pain, which turned out to be caused by a hernia. Doctors discovered that the hernia was the result of fluid buildup in his abdomen, an indication that his liver is beginning to fail. They’ve now started discussing the possibility of a liver transplant. As of now, much is still uncertain, and we’re waiting on a series of follow-up appointments to better understand the full extent of his condition.

This has happened at an incredibly difficult time. Within the last couple months, Rick was laid off from his job as a welder at Exotic Metals, due to a work slowdown. While he was able to quickly find a temporary welding position, his current job doesn't offer benefits like health insurance. He's already missed several days of work, and more time off is expected as he prepares for several medical appointments and potential hospital stays.

We're hopeful that Rick will soon be rehired by his previous employer, which would provide the insurance coverage he needs, but with his health deteriorating, it’s unclear whether he'll be able to return to the job at all or for how long.

Our family is doing everything we can, but could really use some help during this challenging time. If you’re able to contribute anything, no matter how small, it would mean the world to us. Every donation will go directly toward medical bills and helping Rick stay afloat while focusing on his health.

Thank you so much for your support, thoughts, and kindness!