I only recently met Ricky in person, after a couple months of discussing the integration of the Lifescan business with the Consumer Retail Group over the phone.  We had a great road trip out to the Mechanicsburg, PA DC from New Jersey on 12/6.  He told me all about his sons, his wife Michele, his favorite hobbies, and his life before J&J.  Ricky’s enthusiasm and caring nature touched me instantly.  I am thankful for the time that I was able to spend getting to know him. 

One of my fondest memories of Ricky was when he let me hitch a ride to the SF Giants baseball game with him and his son, Cameron.  Ricky showed what kind of parent and man he was right away when Cameron tried to sit in the front-passenger seat and Ricky told him to respect his elders and let me sit in the front.  During the ride there and back, Ricky and I had great conversations about each of our histories.  I remember being impressed by his wide array of music preferences, the time he spent for our country, what he liked to do as a kid/teenager and where all the hang-out spots were, his college stories, and his athletic triumphs .  I was also very impressed with the relationship that Ricky and Cameron shared.  I can’t put it into words, but my time with him that day made the long drive and the traffic fade away into oblivion.   I’m thankful for the time that I had with Ricky and I miss him very much.