Hospice patient takes 'one last ride' as hospice wish

Hospice patient takes 'one last ride' as hospice wish 
NBC WREX TV-13, Rockford, IL; by Derek Bayne; 7/16/24 
Michael Rickert is ready to ride. "Let's hit the pavement," he said. As Rickert gets in the sidecar of Tom Dean's motorcycle, supporters can't help but get emotional. As the engine revs, Rickert, who is in hospice care, remembers why he started riding motorcycles 25 years ago. "It's like my adrenaline is so up," Rickert said. He asked for one last ride, with the Northern Illinois Hospice Foundation setting up this special moment. ... And getting his wish granted means a lot, especially going out to ride on a beautiful day. "If I wouldn't have made it two more days or a day, at least I could say one thing," Rickert said. "I got my wish."