On September 15, our beloved Richard Colombo was recently in the ICU in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, after a terrifying and unexpected medical emergency.

While on a cruise, he developed appendicitis that ruptured, which led to a serious infection. He was rushed off the ship and transferred to a hospital, where he was placed on a ventilator and has been fighting to recover. Thankfully, he is now stable and showing improvement — but he urgently needed to be medically evacuated back to the United States to continue his care.

We are relieved to share that as of September 18, he has been transferred to a hospital in Provo, where he will continue receiving the advanced treatment he needs to fully recover.

The cost of the surgeries, medical flight and hospital stay in Cabo is shocking — all due upfront in cash — and there is still the additional costs he will incur going forward.

Many of you know the local hero, where he was more than just a neighbor — he was part of the fabric of the community. In 1970, he and “Uncle” Armond opened R&A Market, the cornerstone Helper grocery store that served as a gathering place for countless families. He also proudly served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.

In a true depiction of Richard’s commitment to others, he dedicated a staggering 41 years as a volunteer firefighter for the city of Helper - 5 as fire chief and 19 as volunteer assistant fire chief - protecting the community he loved until he retired in 2019.

Now, it’s our turn to protect him. He gave so much of his life to Helper and never asked for anything in return. Today, he needs your support. Every donation — large or small — will bring us closer to covering some of the cost of care he needs to recover fully.

Please consider donating and sharing this fundraiser widely. If you’re from Helper, Price, or the Carbon County community, you know firsthand the difference he made. Let’s come together and show him the same dedication he showed us for decades.

On behalf of our entire Colombo family, thank you for your love, prayers, and generosity.

UPDATES on "Uncle" Rich will be made here so feel to check back.

P.S. Richard is a very proud and selfless man and would never ask for help! So his nephews Mark, John & Tom created this page.