Honor Rickie Blue-Sky: Support His Family

I am the nephew (son) to the late Rickie Blue-Sky of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe of Northern Idaho. Rickie raised me on and off throughout my whole life. When I was 11, Rickie entered the California judicial system and was taken away from my family and me.

Last week, we got the worst news that Rickie had gone back to our ancestors and elders.

After years of incarceration and then finally beginning to heal and bring our family back together, Rickie has gone home. We were caught off guard because we believed he was healing. Rickie’s loss is leaving holes in our hearts as we try to understand and grieve. All of our plans of Rickie moving home, camping next summer, and teaching and passing on our family culture to our next generation; Rickie was the key ingredient. We are lost and hurt.

In sorting through Rickie’s belongings in California this week, we found a deep sense of how many people he touched. Last week, we were making plans for when Rickie moved home to North Idaho. From today forward, we are making plans to find our place in his larger family and community. We appreciate any support you can share with our family as we face the unexpected mounting costs associated with Rickie’s untimely passing.

Thank you for joining our family and our community.

From the Family of Rickie Blue-Sky

Henry G. Katasse III

**Paying a tip to GoFundMe will not go to the family, so feel free to slide that amount to $0.