Nick Kray

I’ve been absolutely gutted by this.

Ric and I grew up not far from each other and went to high school together. We weren’t close back then, more of a “Hey, what’s up?” whenever we’d cross paths.

In 2020, life brought us back together through work. What started as a working relationship quickly became a friendship. Over the last few years, we spent countless hours talking about business, faith, family, and life. He became one of my closest sounding boards, and I’ll miss those conversations more than I can put into words.

Most people knew Ric as an incredibly talented artist. I knew him as a loyal friend.

If there’s one thing I hope people remember about Ric, it’s his testimony.

He was coming up on two years sober, and he was incredibly proud of that. He never hid his past because he believed God could use it to give someone else hope. We talked often about how our relationship with Christ had changed our lives. He’d tell me that his faith was what carried him one day at a time and gave him peace, purpose, and joy.

That wasn’t something he kept to himself. He wanted people to know what God had done in his life.

His artwork will live on through the countless projects he created, but what I’ll remember most is the man he was becoming.

Thank you for your friendship, your honesty, your creativity, and the unwavering way you’d pour into me when my days were dark and I needed someone the most.

The final chapter of your life was one of faith, hope, redemption, and growth. That’s how I’ll always remember you.

Rest easy, brother. I’ll carry our conversations with me for the rest of my life.

P.S. I can already hear you busting my chops for using AI to create your tribute graphic instead of hiring an artist… but I figured this was the one time you’d let it slide. 🥹It was done with nothing but love.