Richard James Powers JR. was born on August 3, 1989 and was raised in Leominster, MA.  He was the first son of Richard and Jane Powers.  He has an older sister Jill and two younger brothers Jonathan and James.

Richie “Red” was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma in January of 2013.  After pain in his left hip, which had bothered him off and on for a while, MRI and CAT SCANS revealed a large mass in his iliac and metastasized nodules in his lungs.

Having to leave a newly acclaimed job at Enterprise bank, after graduating from Bentley University, he now faced the fight for his life at Dana Farber in Boston, MA.

After long treatments, radiation, chemotherapy, blood transfusions, remission occurred in December of 2013.  This was short-lived (3 months).  In February 2014 it all begins again, the battle, the sickness, the exhaustion, the long hours, the sadness, the hope.

The survival rate for Ewings is poor.  He was not one of the lucky ones.  He passed away in his home, surrounded by his loving family on October 14, 2015.   He battled the battle.

The Leominster community has been fantastic.  We were so fortunate to live in this great city.  Many fundraisers helped us with the expenses related to having cancer.  Prayers and well wishers were abundant day after day.  He was loved and he knew it.  To pay it forward this REDSTRONG foundation was established to help students go to college, and to help families battling cancer like we did.  You cannot do this alone, you need help, you need support.  We were very lucky to have lots of help and support from family, friends, the community and from strangers.