Rick Peña

Family and friends,

It is with a heavy heart that I and my family ask for your help. On Tuesday, November 21st, we suffered the devastating loss of my wife Ashley's father, my father-in-law Rick Peña. After a heart failure ten days previous that required surgery, he ultimately failed to wake up. This was a complete shock to our family, and unfortunately the challenges of this loss have rippling effects.

One of Rick's deepest passions in life was in serving the special needs community, a passion he found over twenty plus years as the primary caregiver of my brother in law, Ryan, who has life-altering epilepsy. From a young age, Ryan and the family were involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and to this day the Foundation and the Special Olympics have significant places in our hearts. They led Ryan to become interested in participating in sports year-round, and from the start, Rick and Elena supported this desire. Rick quickly became a staple in the community. From being a constant cheerleader at games, handling carpool to events, and even chaperoning destination games with overnight stays, Rick's endeavors to support Ryan's wishes were tireless. In an effort to make the best possible life for Ryan and Ashley, Rick and Elena have stretched financially to make Ryan's wishes a reality. And Ryan's involvement in these activities continues to this day.

Which leads to why I’m asking for your help. The difficulties of Rick's passing are catastrophic emotionally, but financially as well. Rick’s life insurance expired in April of this year, something the family had been actively trying to rectify prior to this unexpected medical event. Meanwhile, during the pandemic, Elena was pushed into retirement after 49 years as a flight-attendant, when airlines experienced financial challenges. In short, this has been a perfect storm for the family, and I’m reaching out with an open heart in hopes of providing some relief to the Peña family.

Any donations, no matter how small, will make a large impact on the family, a family that has been my own for almost twenty years, and a staple in the special needs community for even longer.

Thank you in advance for your love and support, and have a blessed day!