Hello everyone.  First off, I would like to thank Beth Dillingham and the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park staff for allowing us to have this celebration of Ryan’s life here.  This is where we first met Ryan. What a wonder guy!  

But before I go on about him, I would also like to mention how many other wonderful teens we have met through the Nature Center and/or birding in general: our first - Todd Holman (although no longer a teen he started with us when he was 8), Andrew Rominger (who just like Ryan he will be starting college this year), Hannah Porter (like a sister to Ryan), Michael Hilchey, Matt Bauman, Nick Pederson (you are not left out just because you are now over 21), Rhayna, and Raymond VanBuskirk.  We all appreciate them and they give us hope for the future.  We also should express our gratitude to their families, many of whom had to raise these kids on their own.  They sure did an excellent job.  Don’t you agree?

I would also like to thank Beth Hurst-Waitz and Sondra Williamson for introducing us to many of these kids.  It has meant a lot to all of us with Rio Grande Bird Research. 

When Ryan first came out to the banding station, we were told he was hyper.  No kidding!  But to me, it was just that he was full of energy and passion.  He was irresistible.  He was excited to see any and every bird. He and Hannah both wanted to release all our birds.  It was easy enough when we had more than one of each species, but when there was only one bird of a particular species, then the trouble began.  They even tried to bribe us to decide who could release the bird.  They found out quickly that that didn’t work.  But because Ryan and Hannah were who they are, they managed to work out a compromise on each bird (with Steve’s help).  They were both very good at handling the birds, so one could hand it off to the other and so Ryan could kiss the bird goodbye.  There was still plenty of bickering between these two but it was not a nasty bickering (more like sibling rivalry).  

I remember seeing the reunion of Ryan and Hannah the first time they saw each other after Hannah had moved to Georgia.  It was wonderful to see so much joy.  Ryan ran up to Hannah, lifted her up off her feet and swung her around and around.  That was Ryan.  Full of energy and joy.

We kept hearing about Ryan and Raymond going on a trip to Costa Rica with Karen and Gary Boetcher.  We were definitely envious.  Then they started asking if we wanted to go along with them.  We couldn’t believe it.  A chance to go birding in Costa Rica with Ryan and Raymond?  That would be a chance in a lifetime!  Thanks to John DeLong who taught for Steve while we were gone, we got to go.  We had an “awesome” (one of Ryan’s favorite expressions) time.  Mainly because of the people we were with including Ryan.

During the wonderful trip to Costa Rica, we got to meet a guide named Mario.  I mention him because he is very much like Ryan.  He has a passion for birding.  He also really loved the kids.  He took the three teens and put them to work right away.  Raymond had to find the birds, Ryan got to call them in (or carry the spotting scope), and Michael also got to carry the scope and find the birds.

Mario is also like Ryan by having a lot of energy.  One time, while driving from point A to point B, he spotted a raptor.  He told Patron, our driver, to stop.  Well, Patron just couldn’t stop fast enough for Mario.  Mario was jumping out of his skin.  He reminded me of Ryan and he was the best guide we could have had.

Ryan was the type of birder who cared not only about how many birds he got to see, but he wanted to make sure everyone else got to see the bird too.  He sure had a challenge on his hands many times in Costa Rica.  Many of us just couldn’t see every bird.  He even missed a few birds because he wanted us to see his bird.  But that was Ryan.

Ryan didn’t just do this on our trip.  He also wanted everyone here in NM to see the birds he was seeing.  Carol Davis was dragged all around the Sandias so that she could finally see her Bohemian Waxwing.  She was ready to give up way before he was.  Endless energy.

I think another reason I loved Ryan, is that I could see my husband in him.  I can just imagine Steve doing many of the things Ryan did. In fact, the two of them together could cause chaos (and watch out if Raymond were there too).  I know that Larry Gorbet had to get the two or three of them under control often.  That also worked the other way around.  Larry had to be called to order too.

Ryan was not shy.  Pat Snider loves to tell about him walking right up to her brother and announcing who he was and that he had heard Pat talk about her brother.  That was Ryan.

Ryan learned the motto of Costa Rica: Pura vida! or Life is good!  He exemplified this.  He lived life to the fullest.  Mike Ramos called him a bright light.  I agree and all of us were like sunflowers, bending towards his warmth.  

Ryan was a very special person and I feel very honored that he was a part of our lives.  I could go on and on about Ryan but I will stop.

Thanks.  Oh and kiss your birds for Ryan.