Rio was a very active member of the cult until 1997, and by all accounts, he had planned to become the 40th body in mass suicide. He began his quest for answers about life and existence; thus, in 1994, he met Heaven’s Gate and joined the organization.
Rio DiAngelo, whose real name is Richard Ford, a computer designer, has been searching for spiritual life all his life. From the young age, he was exposed to many different beliefs and practices worldwide, which puzzled and fascinated him.
As he grew older, he searched for answers to his questions about health and well-being, which led him to study Eastern and Western philosophy from many evil spirit leaders.
He says he was aroused by the disturbing feeling that he had something to do on Earth, that it was not yet his time to do leave Earth. So, he talked to the leader of Heaven’s Gate and went with his blessing.
Who Is Heaven’s Gate Member Rio DiAngelo?
Rio DiAngelo, a Cult member named Richard Ford, told Newsweek that the group took it far more than any other So-Cal acolytes. They drank nothing but a mixture of lemon, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup every three months.
One month later, DiAngelo received a message from members of Heaven’s Gate that sent him back to a mansion on a hill in Rancho Santa Fe. On March 26, 1997, he uncovered the worst mass suicide on U.S. ground.
He retains his faith with 39 men and women who believed that they were spilling the vessels of the Earth in order to catch a ride on a spaceship following the Hale-Bopp Comet.
If possible, he used a video camera to record what he found inside, but the first thing he remembers is the hot smell of decaying bodies. After Rio left the mansion, around 3:15 p.m., he called 911, telling the operator anonymously about the mass suicide.
Where Is Rio DiAngelo Now?
Even now, after two decades the tragedy, Rio DiAngelo still stands for the beliefs of Heaven’s Gate. He often interacts with people who are still evaluating the organization’s websites.
After becoming a computer designer, business art director, single monk, writer, and former member of Heaven’s Gate, DiAngelo is now a Spiritual Teacher and Soul Development Specialist.
He helps others make positive changes in their lives by guiding them to self-improvement, self-love, and spiritual advancement.
Rio DiAngelo Family & Wife Explored
Rio DiAngelo hasn’t revealed any information about his family and wife yet. He has successfully kept his lifestyle away from media and all the limelight.
DiAngelo’s life today is far from his days at Heaven’s Gate, where members watch selected TV programs in their assigned seats and write “individual needs department” when they run out of deodorant.
Now a successful freelance designer who makes ergonomic items, he applies everything he learned at the Gate to Heaven in his earthly life and, at the same time, makes money from it. He sold the organization’s van on eBay to mark the commemoration of the mass suicide.
