Some people leave behind more than memories. They leave behind the way they loved people, the way they worked, and the way they helped others. They leave behind the way they kept going even when things got tough.
Richard Arnold was that kind of man. He was a worker and he liked to do things on his own. He was very generous with his time and skills. He loved working in his shop fixing old cars and making them run like new again. He loved taking something broken and making it work again.
But to his family, Richard was never only a man who fixed cars.
He was a man who helped people. He believed in hard work, family, and in fixing things rather than giving up on them. And he lived those values in ways his family still carries with them today.
Richard’s life was not untouched by pain. The loss of his oldest son, who was killed by a drunk driver at just 18 years old, changed the course of his life. That kind of grief changes a person. It changes a family.
But Richard kept going. He held tightly to the people he loved. He found joy in being a devoted grandfather. He kept helping where he could. He kept living with strength, humor, grit, and a spirit that refused to fade.
At 80 years old, Richard went to Disneyland and rode every roller coaster. At 83, he took a solo three-week cruise through the Panama Canal. That was Richard. He was adventurous, determined, and full of life.
When Richard passed away, he left his Thunderbird to his son Ricky and Ricky’s wife, Julie. The car was special. It was one of the first cars Richard bought that did not need a full restoration. He tinkered with a few things, but mostly, he was able to simply enjoy it.
For Ricky, the Thunderbird was more than a car. It was a piece of his father’s life; a reminder of who he was, and a symbol of the joy Richard had found in something he loved.
Ricky could have kept it. He and Julie could have sold it and used the money for themselves. But that did not feel like the right ending for something so connected to his father.
Richard’s legacy, Ricky felt, was meant to do more.
So, he called Packy, one of the Foundation’s leaders, and shared that if the Thunderbird could be sold, he wanted the money to go to the Foundation in his dad’s name. And if the car did not sell, he was prepared to give the car itself.
The Thunderbird sold. And with that decision, something Richard once loved became something that would keep helping others.
Their gift helps make Warrior PATHH possible, creating space for veterans, service members, and first responders to be supported, challenged, and reminded that their story is not over.
As Julie shared, “Warrior PATHH felt like a meaningful way to carry his legacy forward because it helps people find strength, purpose, and hope after experiencing life’s toughest challenges. Dad faced loss and hardship in his own life, and he believed in perseverance and helping others. Supporting veterans on their journey toward healing reflects the compassion, resilience, and generosity that defined him.”
That is why this gift matters. It honors Richard Arnold, but it also carries forward the values he lived by: hard work, resilience, generosity, family, and helping others. Through Warrior PATHH, those values now reach the lives of those who are taking brave steps forward after struggle.
It is not only about recognizing a gift. It is about honoring the story behind it. It is about the people, memories, and values that move someone to give. And it is about showing where generosity goes.
It goes into real people. Real healing. Real hope.
We are deeply grateful to Ricky, Julie, and their family for trusting us with Richard’s story and for choosing to honor his life in a way that now helps others move forward with hope.
Given in honor of Richard Arnold, a life well lived and a legacy that continues through helping others.
Help Carry Hope Forward
Every gift to Warrior PATHH helps provide the training, support and community that warriors need to find strength, purpose and hope. Your generosity can help someone move forward with hope.
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