Richard was born in Cleveland Ohio, in 1946, to second generation immigrants from Bohemia, Czechoslovakia. He graduated from Ohio and moved to Idaho Springs, CO in 1973 where he worked at the Henderson Mine for several years. After that he taught social studies at the middle school.  Living in a mountain town, he became a ferocious athlete. He learned to ski like a pro, ran marathons, biked in Peak to Peak races, and rafted the Arkansas and Colorado Rivers in the summers. He loved being part of the small active community in Idaho Springs and made many lifelong friends.

A 1989 skiing accident resulted in spending the rest of life in a wheelchair. He spent time in rehab at Craig Hospital which is renowned for treating people with spinal cord injuries.  In his earlier years as a member of the SCI community, he traveled the country in a modified van interviewing people with SCI for his book Roll Models: People Who Live Successfully Following Spinal Cord Injury and How They Do It. He also wrote Taking Care of Yourself While Providing Care. He also wrote grants, created new programs, and contributed feature articles to New Mobility and Paraplegic News.

During the last few years of his life, his overall health declined precipitously, though almost until the last, he went to the gym at Craig regularly, participated in a counseling group he created and wheeled to a nearby coffee shop to meet friends from the SCI community. Richard's will to live actively was fierce and strong. Although he could be gruff at times, he was kind and caring man.

He died peacefully at home on January 5, in his own bed with his partner of twenty-five years, Jeannie Dunham, by his side. He will be remembered with love, gratitude, and admiration by all who knew him.