Hi, my name is Abby Collins and I have the privilege of being Richard Jr. (Messner's) mother.

Today, however, I am sad to tell you that Richard Jr. has broken his left foot, having tripped on one of our stairs at home. As you can see on the cover photo, he is still making every effort to be his cheery self, despite the heavy cast on his leg and the fact that our dining room will serve as his bedroom for at least the next two months, as he is unable to climb stairs. (The Orthopedic doctor warned that ANY weight put on the broken foot could cause the broken bones to spread, necessitating surgery to insert pins and screws to hold the foot together. With his autism, he doesn't have the motor planning skills to successfully use crutches, so he will be wheelchair bound for the near future. )

While we can keep him on the first floor of our home, we will be needing to take him outside occasionally for some sun, air...and for doctors appointments. As you can see on the photo of our home, we have a number of steps up to our front porch, which are currently impossible for Rich to navigate without putting his broken foot down at least a little. We will need to construct a ramp up to our front porch so that we can bring Rich in and out of his home with relative ease.  Fortunately, our friend, Adam Blanchette, has volunteered to build the ramp.  We are asking only for your help with the wood and other supplies.

Many of you know Richard Jr. from Quarantine Karaoke, which he does with his sister, Laura Messner. They will be back in late-July when Laura comes back up to Maine to visit. In the meantime, if you are able to help Rich get this ramp, he will continue to be in great spirits when it comes time to sing for you again!  If you ARE able to help, we ask that you please do so by July 1st, as we are anxious for him to have the freedom to go in and out of our home.  

Whether or not you are able to assist with the purchase of this ramp, I'm SURE that Richard Jr. would LOVE to hear from you! He loves to get mail! A card, postcard, letter...anything...would be very much appreciated while he is stuck mostly inside recuperating! His mailing address is 27 Millhouse Road, Canaan, ME 04924.

Thank you so much for your generosity and loving support of Richard Jr.!