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Steve Ulrich, longtime Duckwall employee, is waiting for a heart transplant. Cards, letters and donations to help with his medical costs can be dropped off or sent to Duckwall Fruit. A GoFundMe page has also been created.
Steve Ulrich, longtime Duckwall employee, is waiting for a heart transplant. Cards, letters and donations to help with his medical costs can be dropped off or sent to Duckwall Fruit. A GoFundMe page has also been created.
HOOD RIVER — Steve Ulrich is waiting for clearance for a heart transplant.
The longtime valley resident is currently at St. Vincent’s in Portland, and his Duckwall Fruit coworkers have stepped up to raise funds for his ever-increasing medical costs.
Kathy Nishimoto, recently retired Duckwall Fruit human resources director and COO, has organized a GoFundMe page for Ulrich at www.gofundme.com/f/steve-ulrich, but donations can also be sent directly to Duckwall Fruit, Attn: Sara Duckwall, PO Box 150, Odell, OR 97044, or dropped off at the plant.
While GoFundMe takes a percentage of the donations, the full amount of those sent to or dropped off at Duckwall will go directly into Ulrich’s account. Cards or letters may also be sent to Duckwall Fruit and will be delivered to Ulrich at the hospital.
“Steve Ulrich is an amazing person, Duckwall Fruit employee and part of our family,” said Sara Duckwall, project and communications director. “He has brought a positive attitude and incredible work ethic to Duckwall Fruit for over 47 years. We are deeply saddened by his current health condition and hope a heart is found soon.”
She added, “Kathy Nishimoto has always gone above and beyond for Duckwall Fruit employees. Even retired, this advocacy and care has not wavered. We appreciate her personal time and effort spent not only on Steve’s behalf, but that which has also been spent for the benefit of all our employees.”
Nishimoto said that Ulrich is first on the heart transplant waiting list, so it’s just a matter of finding a match.
“The whole ward, the whole nursing staff, they just love him because he’s like, ‘I want to get up and walk. I want to get healthy so I can get my heart.’ That’s unusual for someone that sick to still be motivated,” she said. “We’re all rooting for him.”
On the GoFundMe page, Nishimoto wrote: “Between the symphony of forklift beeps and engine purrs a friendly greeting is what you will receive if you encounter Steve Ulrich throughout the plant. This 47-year Duckwall Fruit employee is family to all of us, and a person who we all love and admire. A fixture on his yellow forklift throne, Steve has blessed us with his good humor and positive attitude each and every day. Decisively the best part of Steve’s job is, ‘the people I work with. The friends I have made here are my family now.’”
In an update dated Nov. 29, Nishimoto wrote, “I spent some time with Steve late this morning. Last night when they implanted another heart pump, they also put in tubing that is hooked to a machine that circulates his blood so his heart doesn’t have to do it … He continues to ‘wow’ the nursing staff and doctors as they see him trying to stay as healthy as he can to make it to heart day. In fact, while I was there, he asked for his pedals so he could exercise. Just amazing grit! I read your encouraging words to him and updated him on the recent donations. He and his daughter Flora are so grateful for your prayers and are amazed by your generous donations.”
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