A final note of praise on this New Year’s Eve 2015 for Rick Riehl and his family which, for the community of West Bend, was one of the most memorable stories of the year.
It wasn’t Rick’s untimely death but the impact he had on this community in his 67 years with us. When the story was posted on Washington County Insider in October that Rick was battling what was likely Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease friends and neighbors and folks who didn’t even know Rick reached out.
Close to 200,000 people saw the stories and added Rick to their prayer chain.
And not only prayers but stories, praising Rick for the positive impact he had on his students and players and the people around him.
Kelly Matenaer My thoughts and prayers go out to the Riehl family for their loss. He was the teacher who inspired me most in high school and who taught from the heart. He was a big smile and a positive heart who made you believe that you were important giving you the confidence to believe in yourself. I look back in gratitude, for I feel blessed and honored to have known him. His wisdom and lessons will carry on.
Tyler Riehl added – When someone hands Rick Riehl the printed pages with all of your comments, his first question is usually, “Did you write these?”, and then his second question is, “Did you pay someone to write these?” He really doesn’t comprehend how many people he has brought sunshine to. Thank you again for all the stories, support and comments.
Rebecca McElhatton Bloede My best memories of class were extra credit floating down the Milwaukee river with Megan Sanderson Galasel Ryan Dove and Jeremy Noegel. I also remember his class with the report I did on “Snowball” of Barton or how about the petition he helped me with to get signatures to keep EAST and WEST as two schools. Woogie Jars and many more awesome stories… You are an amazing man Mr Riehl. You probably know that by everything that is being said to you and about you:) God Bless You for everything you have done and are still doing to make this world that much better!!!!!
In my 30 years living in West Bend I’ve never reported a story or seen one person inspire positive community action like Rick Riehl. On that uplifting note – Rick Riehl is the Top Story of 2015.