This year’s nominee states that he is really no one special, noting that he was born to loving parents who had to endure a lifelong list of medical bills, hospital visits, endless nights without sleep, a medicine cabinet overflowing with medications whose names are barely pronounceable and a constant daily reminder that any day their new, supposedly healthy baby boy, could die. For that, he says he cannot apologize enough nor ever do right by them. 

He says he wishes his parents had the opportunity to give birth to a normal, healthy, baby boy but in 2008, after 11 years of searching for a reason as to why their “healthy” baby boy was seemingly on deaths doorstep almost annually, they found their answer as he was diagnosed with Common Variable Immune Deficiency (CVID) Dr. John Venglarcik, or as my parents call him, “Our Angel.” 

CVID is a genetic disorder that affects 1 in every 25,000 people and weakens the immune system to roughly 25% operational, which means that a simple cough or sneeze may not cause concern for the average everyday person but might be the difference between a life or death infection that renders someone with CVID bedridden in the hospital for days on end. 

That being said, Ricky and his sister are the Founders of the “Ricky Mack Giving Back” fundraiser benefitting Make-A-Wish in our community. They both had their wishes granted through Make-A-Wish and when they returned, they wanted to give back what was given to them – the feeling of HOPE. They created “Ricky Mack Giving Back” in 2009 and are heading into their 10th year of the fundraiser. Along with the support of community, they have raised over $75,000 for the Make-A-Wish foundation and sponsored nine children from our area with their wish. 

They also found and created the “Mats of Love Project” in our area, making sleeping mats for the homeless out of plastic bags that would otherwise be thrown in landfills, distributing them to the homeless in the winter months so they have some shielding from the harsh elements outside. 

There is no cure and he has made peace with this and the fact that most of his young life was spent in and out of intensive care. 

He appreciates the fact that his mother nominated him and for teaching him that his life does have value.