Hall of Famer Richard Ocker speaks out against drunk driving

“If I can share some words of wisdom and somehow make an impression on how drunk driving can change your life, I certainly want to do that,” said Richard Ocker. 

Richard Ocker, an alumnus and member of the Shippensburg University Athletics Hall of Fame and the PA South Central Hall of Fame, is on a mission to turn his life-altering tragedy to a story that inspires change and education on the dangers of drunk driving. 

Ocker first received his Bachelor of Science in elementary education from Ship in 1959 and returned to Ship for his master’s in education in 1964 and a reading supervision degree in 1973. He continues to remain connected to the university as a Hall of Fame selection committee member, a Tower Associate and a phone-a-thon fundraiser. 

What first attracted Ocker to Ship was his passion for running. “Track and field has been good to me. I’ve been coaching for 65 years, and I continue to stay active.” Throughout his life, Ocker has coached track at the high school, college and university level, including at Dickinson College and now at Messiah University. “I’ve coached All-Americans. I’ve coached hall of famers, and national champions. It’s been a good run.” 

In 2015, he was celebrated for his accomplishments as a distance runner. Ocker ran the mile, 880-yard dash and the two-mile relay during a time when facilities and training equipment were nowhere near today’s standards. “We had cinder tracks and long spikes on our shoes – it was quite different then,” he recalled.

Even after retirement, Ocker continued to participate in the 100-meter dash in the Keystone Games, PA Senior Games and ran in various other events. It wasn’t until his recent accident that he had to put a hold on running. Now, Ocker dedicates the majority of his free time to advocating against drunk driving and educating the dangers of driving under the influence. 

In 2024, Ocker and his wife Ester Ocker who met one another during their time at Ship, were hit head-on by a drunk driver in a tragic car accident. Both Ocker and his wife lost a leg in the collision and spent six months in the hospital. 

“The surgeon said it was a miracle that we survived,” Ocker said. “One of the reasons we did survive was that we were both in pretty good physical condition. That’s part of my message – we need to live a healthy lifestyle.” 

The accident has forever changed the Ockers lives, but it never stopped them from keeping a positive mindset and using their story to raise awareness on the consequences of drinking and driving.  Now, they are walking with prosthetics and receive a lot of support from their family. 

Ocker has spoken with the Shippensburg University basketball team and the Messiah track and field team. Moving forward, Ocker is scheduled to speak at Dickinson College and Boiling Springs High School this fall. “College-age athletes are a good starting point for me,” he said. “I’ve been an athlete all these years, and I think it’s important for me to go in and speak to prospective athletes.” 

Alongside public speaking, Ocker is also working hard to advocate for legislative change. “I am hoping to help them get some changes in the law to tighten things up,” he said. 

Despite that hardship that he and his wife have endured, Ocker remains dedicated to serving others. “If I can help anybody along the line, I certainly want to do that,” he said. “I hope coaches pass the word along, and they’ll contact me, and I will gladly go and speak.” 

To Ocker, his life is all about giving back to the community, his alma mater and to future generations. “I really appreciate what Shippensburg has done for me, and it’s payback time,” he said. 

As Ocker and his wife learn how to navigate life after their accident and using prosthetics  Ocker has never given up on his passion for track and field and is confident that he will soon be running again. The Ocker’s story serves as a true inspiration of how powerful it is to remain positive and determined, and how one incident, such as drunk driving, can forever change people’s lives.