Sergeant Michael E. Ristau was born in Manhattan, Kansas where his father was serving in the Army, and grew up in Dubuque and Rockford, Illinois. His family moved to Cascade in 2004, and Michael Ristau always spent his military leave in Cascade with his family.

In 2004, Sergeant Ristau joined the Army after graduating from Lincoln’s Challenge Academy in Rantoul, Illinois. Michael had served 2 tours of duty in Iraq in 2006 and 2007.

Sgt. Michael Ristau was killed by a roadside bomb on July 13, 2012 in Afghanistan's Zabul province. On the day of his memorial, nearly 2,000 American flags lined Cascade's streets in his honor.

Proceeds from the SGT Michael E. Ristau bracelet will be donated to Legacies Alive in his memory.