Today’s Celebration of Life for Rick was genuinely the most beautiful and meaningful celebration of life service I have ever attended. Thank you to Linda, Aly, Lyanne, Pastor Ken (the architect of the Hero’s Journey during today’s service), and all those who were part of the service. Thank you for helping us all remember and honor Rick.

I honestly didn't realize how much sadness I was carrying about Rick's passing until I sat there crying today. I’m sure much of it is because I’m also a father of two daughters. But it's really because Rick was more than a colleague to me. He was a fellow Christian businessman, a church leader, a husband, a father of two girls, and a son of God. He was ME, but several steps ahead in life, work, and faith. He was an older brother to me who gave me safe space to share (meaning vent) about anything, from the frustrations of working in the San Gabriel Valley (no offense SGV!!!), wrestling with city government agonies, fighting through marital/family struggles, running church ministries, being a consultant, and even just walking with God. We often met for lunches and dinners and had meaningful conversations about all of the above.

He was there with me when James Chou and I started Pacific Plaza Premier Development Group in 2017. He created our brand, including logo/artwork, slide templates, etc. He presented alongside me many times to cities and community groups on various projects, and once we even co-presented to a room full of Mandarin-speaking landscape architecture students in Taiwan who probably had no idea what we were saying. He was always eloquent, intelligent, intentional, thoughtful, and persuasive with his words.

We traveled to Taiwan together with James to act as short-term consultants to Fu Jen University, a Catholic university that James graduated from many years ago. We met with priests, nuns, staff, and students, all to try to help them plan for the revitalization of a beautiful campus that had fallen into decades of deferred maintenance and dilapidation. Every conversation he had with them was full of both empathy and expertise. But most of all, we spent 14 hours on the plane there and back talking about anything and everything. It was a coveted time for me to spend with my older brother.

I miss him as both an older brother and as my adviser in business. He was actually more than an adviser. He was a sherpa, guiding me and helping me carry the load up Mount Everest. Even while he was in the middle of his battle, he was my sherpa. He always responded to texts with questions and requests for advice. I miss him very deeply. But I know he is home with our Abba Father in Heaven, living his best life praising and worshipping the one true King! Miss you, Rick!