ABOUT THE FOUNDATION
Sometime between April 12 and April 15, 2022, our beautiful Gus
passed away suddenly, two weeks before his 27th birthday from
complications as a result of diabetes melitus. His loss left a gaping hole in
our lives. He was a kind, loving, humble and gentle person, truly loved
everyone he encountered and was always willing to help everyone in need. He had
faith in the goodness of people, took everyone at their word and gave everyone
a chance. His life will always be a blessing to us and an example of what love
is—giving, serving and helping others. His legacy is how he lived—simply and peaceably,
serving with love. He taught us what’s really important in life – to love
according to 1 John 3:18—not with just words or speech, but with actions.
Gus was a creative; he loved anime and gaming. He had a
talent for drawing and fashioning art out of simple materials—paper, wire,
etc. He loved children and took pleasure
in spending time with his young cousins whenever they came around. Gus was born
in the Ivory Coast during the Liberian war but spent three years of his life in
Liberia when he was a teenager, even graduating from the Don Bosco Polytechnic
High School. He made a lot of friends during that time and when he returned to
the U.S., cherished fond memories of his time there—including riding the
‘pen-pen’. He loved the simplicity of life in Monrovia and expressed his desire
to live there some day.
Our family has established the Augustus E. Richardson
Memorial (ARM) Foundation to continue Gus’ legacy of love, friendship, and helping
others in Liberia, a place he loved and where there is so much need. With the
absence of safety net programs, and the extreme lack of economic opportunities,
it is simply impossible for many parents to give their children basic human rights
such as food, clothing, health care and education. As a result, many children (and
families) have become extremely vulnerable citizens living on the margins of
society. Many are growing without the cognitive tools to navigate society, and
without the skills to become self-sustaining adults.