When I first met Ricky around 1988 or so, I had thought he was so cute from a far. Well some of my friends knew of him and introduced me to him and we instantly had a bond of silliness and just enjoyed each other. I loved his hugs, those blue eyes and they way he called me "baby". He has such a caring heart and just loves to live life and make things fun for everyone around him. He was always very supportive of my artwork and always complimented me on my gift. I remembering doing a drawing of him and him telling me that it was hanging in his mom's house. He also had a special way of making a handicapped young boy we knew, Joey smile when Ricky entered the room. I loved to watch him take time and honestly care about Joey. I remember that I did a drawing of Joey and Ricky and Joey's mom, Dianne just loved it and Ricky signed it.

Ricky has the best hugs and Joe (Animal) runs a very close second. But no one has Ricky's smile that just made me smile to know he respected me as I respected him. Plus he is a very entertaining, charismatic wrestler that added so much to this sport in the NWA days and beyond that time. He was part of a tag team that was uniques and fan favorites where every they went. I would move heaven and earth for him.

The last time I saw Ricky was at the Wrestlemania when Stone Cold beat HBK - YES! I was there and stayed at the hotel they all were at and got to see MY Ricky again. I will never forget it when I was standing there and saw him and I started walking over to him and when I got over to him, he looks at me with that smile and says "Hey baby" and gave me a hug. It was a magical moment. Then a dirty joke followed as usual. Oh please, I have heard Ricky tell some dirty jokes that would make sailors blush. Then a day later I left him a picture and a letter at the front desk. I remember crying after his match at Wrestlemania when he waved to the crowd and headed back to the dressing room. I just said under my breath "Love you Punky". Then the day I was checking out, he was waiting in the lobby for me. We stood and talked and hugged and I felt my heart fill up with so much love because I knew that he knew that I truly respected and loved him for the man and friend he was to me. I held back the tears because I didn't want to say goodbye but I felt good because I had said some things to him I needed to say. Then I ran into him hours later after leaving the hotel at an restaurant. I went outside to sit and talk with him as we waited on our breakfasts to get ready. It was a rare moment of just me and him. VERY SPECIAL!!!