Ryan Shares the Power of a Wish^®

When asked “If you had one wish, what would it be?” 17-year-old Ryan had two specifics in mind – to meet the Harlem Globetrotters and to organize a special thank-you party for the Circleville Lady Tigers Basketball team. All four years of high school, Ryan served as the team manager for the Lady Tigers, standing by them through victories and defeats. When Ryan was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease, the team repaid his kindness by supporting him throughout his treatments and hospital stays. So when it came time to share his wish with the Make-A-Wish Foundation^®, Ryan requested a wish he could share with his team; to meet the team that exemplifies the team spirit evident in the Tigers – the Harlem Globetrotters.

On his wish day, Ryan and the Lady Tigers, along with close friends and family, were escorted by a chartered bus from Circleville to Columbus. Before heading to Nationwide Arena for the event, Ryan and his guests enjoyed a pizza and karaoke party at what is now The Blackwell Inn. Upon arrival at the arena, Ryan and his family were whisked away to the locker room where he met with the basketball legends. Before the game began, Ryan took his place on their bench, coaching the Globetrotters to a victory over their opponents, while his teammates and family cheered for him from the stands. At halftime, the entire Lady Tigers team, along with Ryan and his family, were led to a private meeting room where they took pictures with, and received autographs from, the players.

Ryan’s ability to look beyond himself did not end with his wish. Since his wish in December 2001, Ryan has hosted radio-a-thon fundraisers through his school, Rio Grande University, and served as a guest speaker at the annual Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana wish dinner.