Memorial Fund for Carl Michael Rickards

We are saddened to announce a tragedy that has absolutely devastated our entire family. Our beloved brother, Carl Rickards born on September 25th, 1970 in Brooklyn, NY, has tragically lost his life due to circumstances related to a fire in his apartment building, on Wednesday, February 9, 2022. This is the 4th funeral in our immediate family, in the last two years. Both of our Parents, our grandmother, and now our Big Brother.

Our Brother, Carl did not have an easy life! At the tender age of 12 he was diagnosed with spinal cancer, specifically (Intradural Extra Medullary Tumors). He had major back surgery at 13, in hopes of removing all of the cancerous tissue. The doctors realized too late that they would not be able to remove the entire tumor, due to its size. Unfortunately, that wasn’t their only mistake. During the surgery, the doctors haphazardly cut nerves, which left my brother a paraplegic, with no motion or feelings from his waist down.

Carl was disabled with restricted mobility yet he always maintained his independent spirit. Carl has lived on his own since the age of 25 ready to fight this disease as a man, on his own two feet. A battle that lasted almost 40 years. Through all the endless chemo, radiation treatments, and constant pain, Carl always maintained a positive outlook on life. He was the best Big Brother You could ever imagine. The love and affection, he showed us was absolutely one of a kind. It was so hard to tell sometimes when he was in pain or if he was in any discomfort at all, due to his resilience. He always seemed to push through even when the odds were stacked against him. Carl was always there for us showing support in any way possible. He was there to listen when no one else would. He always made time for family.

Please HELP us give our Big Brother Carl the sendoff he deserves. He always wanted to be buried where he was born, in Brooklyn, NY, under a shady tree. Carl made it very clear where he wanted his final resting place to be. We intend to make sure he gets it. Carl Big Brother. We love you and we will make sure you get the proper sendoff you deserve.

Forever in our Hearts.

Breakdown of Needs

Extra Expenses:

Prioritized in order

Thanks in advance for any contribution or kind words.