08 Sep The Last Day I Cried
Ryan’s Family Knew He Was a Fighter
“He’ll try anything. He gets mad if you try to help.”
That’s mom’s way of describing Ryan, watching as he slides down the mini roller coaster in the playroom. Ryan is a lively 3.5 year old who has achondroplasia. After almost losing Ryan to a common cold at the age of 7 weeks, Ryan’s parents found that local hospitals in New Jersey didn’t know enough about dwarfism to treat their son. They sought help from Understanding Dwarfism, an educational awareness program, which led them to Nemours/ Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children and the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware.
“That was the last day I cried about his dwarfism,” says Ryan’s mom Caren.
Caren and her husband Brian knew that Ryan was a fighter. Together, they would make sure that his short stature did not hold him back.
Ryan has been staying at the House every 6 months since he was only 3 months old. When asked what his favorite part of the House is, Ryan exclaims, “the trains [in the playroom]!”- although his big brother Keith says the movie room is “the way to go.”
“The kids love it here and everyone is so sweet,” Caren shared, “every time I come here, I am touched by how blessed I am. It could be worse.” She says the family loves coming back to the House after a long day of appointments with Dr. Mackenzie and Dr. Bober.
Next up for Ryan? A major orthopedic surgery. But first- preschool!