Essay from USA Health’s Danny Rickert shared during ceremony at Mobile Civic Center
During the height of the pandemic, Danny Rickert and members of his family volunteered during mass vaccine clinics held on Saturdays for thousands of Mobile County Public School System educators on the floor of the civic center arena.
On Aug. 21, the City of Mobile held a celebration of life service for the Mobile Civic Center, which is being demolished. Before the event, the mayor’s office asked residents to share their fondest memories of the spot that was the site of past concerts by Elvis Presley and Elton John, hundreds of Mardi Gras balls, and a year’s worth of drive-through COVID testing and vaccine clinics.
A heartfelt essay from Danny Rickert, USA Health’s chief policy officer and assistant vice president for medical affairs, was selected from among the entries. Then, he was asked to share his thoughts at the ceremony where he offered a personal eulogy. His wife, Joan, who is mentioned prominently in the essay, attended the event along with hundreds of others.
“I thought this was such a cool thing to do, from a marketing perspective, to hold a celebration of life for an inanimate object,” Rickert said. “The civic center held so many memories for us.”
Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson’s team told Rickert they were particularly moved by the story of how he met Joan in 1983 at a Junior Miss Prom, part of a program that later became America’s Distinguished Young Women. During the height of the pandemic, Rickert and members of his family also volunteered during mass vaccine clinics held on Saturdays for thousands of Mobile County Public School System educators on the floor of the civic center arena.
The vaccine clinics were part of a successful partnership between USA Health and the city aimed at keeping residents healthy and safe. In spring 2020, USA Health first partnered with the city to offer drive-through COVID testing at the civic center. In January 2021, more USA Health staff joined in to offer daily drive-through COVID vaccinations in the arena. A year later, the testing and vaccine clinics moved to the University of South Alabama campus.
Danny Rickert’s essay:
Dear Mobile Civic Center,
You changed my life! That’s a bold statement, but let me explain. In June of 1983 you were hosting the America’s Junior Miss program as you had since your opening in 1964. Besides hosting the competition in 1983, you also hosted the Junior Miss Prom, the much-anticipated event that brought local Mobile boys together with some of the most beautiful, intelligent, and talented young women in the United States.
As a Mobile boy attending the University of South Alabama, I jumped at the chance to be an escort. As an escort at the Junior Miss Prom, I met several of the girls, but one made me quiver: Joan Dehlin from Minot, North Dakota! In 1983, when NBC was still broadcasting the program live from your main floor, Joan was on national television with her new 50 best friends and host Michael Landon.
After the program ended, Joan accepted a scholarship to the University of South Alabama, where we met again that fall. Going back to your place for Joan’s first Mardi Gras ball, it was somewhat shocking to see a giant photo hanging in your lobby of my date, Joan! Fast forward three years, and that Junior Miss and Junior Miss Prom escort were married at St. Ignatius Catholic Church.
Fast forward a few more years to many other visits to your place with our children to attend Junior Miss, Mardi Gras balls, Mysticks hockey games, Harlem Globetrotters, ice skating, Sheffield dance recitals, South Alabama basketball, massive COVID vaccine clinics during the pandemic, and too many other events to count.
Joan and I have been married for 38 years, with two children, Brittany and Patrick, and three grandchildren, Hunter, Gaines and Olivia. Thanks for all the memories but most importantly, thanks for introducing me to Joan, my best friend, and the love of my life.
-Danny Rickert
