The Story of Ryan

How would you define success, hope and inspiration? I define it in one simple, yet meaningful, word — Ryan. Ryan is a nine-year-old boy full of insatiable energy, enduring love, and an extraordinary imagination, despite being diagnosed with numerous social and mental disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and Asperger’s disease. This past summer, Ryan attended Camp Hermosa, a Christian camp in Ontario, Canada, where I was hired to work specifically with high needs children. Ryan fit my job description perfectly. On the first day of camp Ryan’s mother carefully articulated her son’s disorders and explained coping mechanisms for various situations that would invariably arise throughout the week. She quietly stated that one of Ryan’s primary challenges was his difficulty interacting with children his own age; he often resorted to ignoring his peers and interacts with adults instead. From the moment Ryan’s mother shared her son’s very real struggles, I was determined to ensure that Ryan would know — even for one week — what it could mean for him to interact with children his own age. Dinner that first night at camp afforded me the first opportunity to really observe Ryan; I particularly focused on his interactions with the other children and adult leaders at the table. It was evident that Ryan scared the other children, as he kept threatening to spray his bug spray on the food and the other children. That was my first real inkling as to what I was up against in the coming week if I was to achieve my goal with Ryan.

Shortly after that first meal, Ryan decided he trusted me, which was demonstrated by him letting me hold his bug spray. For Ryan, that simple act was the first building block to forging a relationship built on trust. In his eyes, I was now his friend. That week I spent most of my time with Ryan, helping him cope with the naturally hectic schedule that camp entails. By mid-week, Ryan adjusted to the schedule and the presence of the other campers. One afternoon, after much persuasion on my part, Ryan and I joined a game of ‘Bump’. This event signaled the first time Ryan interacted with the other campers in a friendly manner, and they responded to him in the same manner. After that, he played basketball with the other children at every opportunity. Ryan even developed a friendship with Faith, a ten-year-old girl who had no social or mental problems; they soon became inseparable. When the week ended, Ryan was still by my side, but was now armed with an ability to interact with other children. My goal for Ryan had come true—he could interact with kids his own age. It took a lot of hard work, persistence and convincing on my part, but for Ryan, his effort far exceeded mine. He overcame a lifetime of social and physical challenges. In a period of seven days, Ryan exceeded all expectations. Ryan is the most memorable child I had the pleasure of working with this past summer. Although I helped inspire Ryan to be successful in interacting with his peers, it was Ryan who was the teacher that week. Seeing the joy in Ryan’s eyes when he hugged me goodbye will forever be a source of life-long inspiration for me.