Stand By Rick: Cover Hospital Expenses

This Go Fund Me account has been set up in the name of Richard Beesley (aka. Rick, Bees). Proceeds will be used to settle financial needs related to his hospital stay, doctor bills, medical fees, funeral expenses and household debts. Most bills result from his cancer treatment and medical care. On May 3, 2025, just last month, Rick received a shocking diagnosis of Stage 4 Stomach and Liver cancer- very aggressive. He believed he was suffering symptoms from his hiatal hernia but, sadly, that was not the case. On May 14, Rick received his first, and what would be his only chemotherapy treatment- very aggressive, four treatments in three days!! On Saturday, May 24, Rick went into cardiac arrest and lost vital signs for 6 minutes. He was rushed to Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson where he was intubated and remained sedated and mostly unresponsive in the Critical Care Unit for more than 2 weeks. In the early morning of Tuesday, June 10, Rick passed away, barely a month after his cancer diagnosis. Because of this timeline, there has not been even time to receive a cycle of bills to know specific medical expenses, but they will be staggering numbers owing to 2 weeks spent in the ICU on a respirator, multiple MRIs, CAT scans, X-rays and lab work, specialists and technicians. His pension gives a $2,000 death benefit. The funeral expenses are more than $13,000. His widow, Kim, is currently unemployed and cannot meet these financial demands. To that end we have established this Fund to help with his medical, funeral and household expenses. Any amount is appreciated.

For those of you who knew Rick, you need no further details to know and love the man he was. Your time with him will speak for itself. For those of you who did not know Rick, he was a unique character, a “larger than life” personality that filled a room when he entered it.

The party started when Rick got there. He enjoyed a good time and cherished the people he called friends. It would be Rick who, while working his 32 years as night manager at various Stop and Shop supermarkets, would buy food and hot coffee for the random homeless people that would roam the supermarket surroundings so that they would have something to eat and drink. It was Rick who had an affection for food trucks (and they would actually run a tab for him- what food truck does that??). Most times you would find Rick out back by his chimenea listening to his colossal collection of music. His texts and Facebook posts are filled with pictures of sunrises and flowers. He was a gentle 6’4” giant of a teddy bear, imposing until you got to know him. And perhaps you did, as he was a well-known bouncer at the many clubs and bars of the 80s- the Mad Hatter, Levels, Spectrum, Neptune. Or perhaps you knew of him as an excellent football player and, later, coach who is still fondly remembered by his many old players. He was a man that, once met, you would never forget.

Any donation you could make to this dire financial situation will be very appreciated by his family. In advance, they thank you for your support and care in their time of great loss and need.