Donald E. "River Rider" Messner

My deepest condolences go out to Don's family & friends. Sorry for your loss. May he rest in peace.

Rest In Peace Brother, you will never be Forgotten.

Sorry for your loss. I wish I could've been there today for you.

I had the honor of knowing Don,and no matter what I write here, it won't let you know the true magnitude of who Don was...They say it's not how a person dies, but how they lived.... Well, I think both hold true with Don..
He lived with passion and thoughts of others first. He died pridefully (stubbornly) and again, with thinking of others first. Don was a "tail-gunner" riding with Warriors' Watch Riders. And he would always have our backs.

Don, you will be missed!

To Kurt,family and friends of this hero,..my sincere condolences.

Don, I'll pull tail-gunner escorting you home brother... R.I.P

I had the honor of taking care of Don many times at the Crescenz VA Medical Center over the past 12 years. Don was more than a patient. He was my friend. I loved to catch up with him whenever he was in the building, even if he was not officially on my caseload at the time. He cared deeply about his brothers- and sisters-in-arms. When he found out I was going on active duty from my reserve unit a few years back, he was insistent on arranging a motorcade for me when I came home! I had to politely (and diligently, as Don was very persistent!) decline his offer. But that was Don. No matter how he was feeling, even when he was very ill, he was always more concerned about the other guys he knew I was taking care of, and concerned about me. He had a huge, huge heart. Every time we saw him in the Rehab Department, he made people happier. The entire Rehab Department, myself included, loved him. We will miss him dearly and his memory will spur us on every day to live up to Don's regard for us. My deepest condolences to the Messner family. Thank You for sharing Don with us. Rest Easy Trooper.

HI DON; THIS IS YOUR BUDDY NORM THAT YOU SAT NEXT TO FOR THE PAST YEAR AT DIALYSIS. I AM GOING TO MISS YOU TERRIBLY. GOD BLESS AND REST IN PEACE.