The Imperial Potentate of Shriners International is the highest position one can attain in the fraternal order that numbers 200,000 people across nine countries, and Buford resident Richard Burke achieved that pinnacle in a ceremony in Reno, Nevada, last month. It’s hard to believe that 22 years ago he barely knew what a Shriner was until the organization’s philanthropic efforts lifted up his family in their darkest hour of need.
In March 2002, Burke’s wife Judy was babysitting their granddaughters, Bailey, 2, and Leah, almost 1, at their new, sprawling dream home on Lake Lanier.
Preparing to give the girls a morning bath, Judy placed Leah in the empty bathtub, then left the room to retrieve Bailey. While on her way, Judy answered her ringing phone. She was away for maybe a minute when she returned to a horrific scene. Baby Leah had flipped a lever and scalding hot water was furiously streaming onto her small, bright red body. Judy pulled her granddaughter from the bathtub, rushed her to the kitchen sink and placed her beneath running cold water. She dialed 911 and pleaded with them to hurry as Leah slipped into unconsciousness.
Credit: Richard Burke
Credit: Richard Burke
Leah was life-flighted to the Grady Trauma Center where a doctor recommended she be transferred to Shriners Children’s Ohio.
“The doctor said he had interned at Shriners Children’s and if it were his child or grandchild, that’s where he’d want them to be,” said Burke. “We told the doctor we’d do anything she needed and that we had insurance. The doctor said Shriner’s doesn’t take insurance. I said, ‘Well, we have some money,’ and the doctor said Shriner’s doesn’t take payments either. I was baffled.”
Shriners Children’s sent a helicopter to transport Leah to Ohio, but the prognosis wasn’t good. She had second degree burns on 80% of her body from her neck down. On March 17, two days shy of her first birthday, Leah died in her mother’s arms.
Throughout Leah’s four days at the hospital, the family was amazed by the support they received. A counselor was always by their side, and men wearing red fezzes were constantly buzzing about, assisting and escorting family members.
“I did not understand charity. I always thought it was something for others, not me, and I certainly didn’t realize what Shriners do,” said Burke. “It was hard to equate quality care to free care, but we found out that Shriners Children’s is the very best care. After Leah passed, I wanted to serve. I wanted to give back, and I wanted to be a Shriner. When I left the hospital, I said if they’d give me a bucket and a fez, I’d go collect money immediately. They said my first step would be to become a Mason.”
When the grief-stricken family returned to Georgia, Burke got a referral to a local Masonic Lodge. Invited by a friend, he joined a meeting and then attended some dinners. He focused for a year on what he calls his “degree work,” learning about freemasonry.
Freemasonry evolved from the stonemasons and cathedral builders of the Middle Ages. In the 17th and 18th centuries, freemasonry adopted the rites of ancient religious orders and of chivalric brotherhoods, and they founded the first Grand Lodge in 1717. The fraternity is the largest and oldest organization for men in the world, outside of religious organizations.
After witnessing Shriners, who all began as Masons, in action, Burke was not surprised to learn that the guiding principles are integrity, friendship, respect and service. Masons hold themselves and each other to high moral standards. And while there are special handshakes and rituals known only to members, Burke said he has yet to uncover any deep secrets, despite lore that suggests otherwise,
“Masons don’t hold the keys to the world or anything — at least they haven’t told me,” Burke quipped.
Credit: BOB ANDRES / AJC
Credit: BOB ANDRES / AJC
Masons meet monthly to discuss how they can help the community and how they can serve other masons, their widows and their children. Once Burke became a Mason, he immediately became a Shriner. All Shriners are Masons, but not all Masons are Shriners. The latter focuses on fundraising for Shriners Hospitals for Children, of which there are 22 across the country.
When he started as a Shriner, Burke was working 70 hours a week as chief information officer at Financial Operations Networks, but every Friday and Saturday he spent about five hours a day on the street collecting money. He continued for nearly seven years.
“I never saw myself in that role, wearing a fez with cars zooming past me,” said Burke. “But I started seeing many of the same donors. People would pull up and tell me their stories, tell me how Shriners helped their children and grandchildren. It felt good.”
Around 2009, Burke became an officer on the board of directors at his local shrine temple, and he kept advancing, serving on the board of directors for Shriners International and Shriners Children’s for 10 years.
“Rich is a guy who is always there for everyone,” said his brother Jim Burke, 74, who joined the lodge two years ago. “He’s busy as can be, working so hard for Shriners, but he still makes time to drive over an hour to my house to help me and calls every day to check in because I’m fighting some health issues. I’m very proud of the man he is … I wish our parents could be here to see him now, Imperial Potentate. They’d be extremely proud of his dedication, without a doubt.”
This summer Burke was elected Imperial Potentate, prompting him to reduce his work schedule to 10 hours a week or less. As Imperial Potentate he serves as president and chief executive officer of Shriners International and chairman of the board of directors of Shriners Children’s, the fraternity’s official philanthropy. It is an unpaid position and requires Richard and Judy to travel the world about 330 days of the year. While Richard fulfills his role, Judy will fulfill hers as First Lady of the Shriners.
“It’s absolutely a partnership with me and Judy,” said Burke of his wife of 32 years with whom he shares three children. “She works as hard as I do. She meets with ladies and educates them on how the Shrine runs, how they can help the organization. She’s also leading the First Lady’s Project.”
Her project, On Angels’ Wings, serves to educate people on burn awareness, burn treatment and, most of all, burn prevention. It is, she decided, the best way to honor Leah.
Credit: Richard Burke
Credit: Richard Burke
“When Richard started this journey, we decided we would tell the story of our granddaughter and let everything we do highlight her and everything she and we went through at Shriners Children’s,” said Judy. “They took us under their wing and helped us through our tragedy, and we will always be so thankful.”
The Burkes now have eight grandchildren. A couple years after Leah died, her sister Kylie was born, bearing a strong resemblance to Leah.
Occasionally the Burkes allow themselves to wonder what Leah would be like today at 22 years of age. Would she be in college? Would she have the same long dark hair and big brown eyes as her sister Kylie? It’s painful to wonder too much.
It’s even more painful to think about the tragic accident that changed their family forever. Richard and Judy have rarely spoken about it over the past decade, but they know this year will be different as they travel the world, educating people about Shriners and burn awareness. The story will always be difficult to recount, but like everything they’ve done for Shriners over the past 21 years, it’s not about them. It’s all for Leah.
