About the Book

Domenick “Rick” Futia had it all — movie-star looks, a champion’s body, and the kind of confidence that lit up every room he entered.  Born the youngest in a boisterous Italian-American family in San Jose, Rick was a trendsetter, a heartthrob, and a daredevil who lived life at full throttle.

But in a single, devastating moment, his world turned upside down after a boating accident left him paralyzed from the waist down.

This unforgettable biography, told through the eyes of his observant nephew, traces Rick’s journey from his family’s colorful roots in Southern Italy — surviving earthquakes, war, and the mob — to his own rise as a high school golden boy, and the tragic accident that left him a paraplegic at seventeen.

What could have been the end of his story became just the beginning.

Told with humor, heart, and unflinching honesty, Rickicello is more than a tribute to one man’s resilience.  It’s a testament to the power of family, faith, and fierce determination to live — and love — without limits.

For anyone who’s ever been knocked down and dared to get back up, Rick’s story will inspire you to roll through life like a rockstar.