Over the last 12 months, our updates shifted from Ryan’s cancer progress to the news that Staplehouse was still alive, to the development of The Giving Kitchen, a non-profit born out of selflessness, and a legacy that will live on much after we are all gone.
It is now my duty to keep our promise of transparency open to you all – our friends. After a long fought battle, this is where we stand in our war.
Three weeks ago, we left our cancer treatment center for the last time and actively made the decision to start home hospice care. Nothing more medically could be done to keep Ryan here. After one full year of fighting… winning only a couple small (medical) battles, our war was coming to an end. The cancer retreated in a major way back in June, but since then, bullied its way back through Ryan’s body until (early December) it had engulfed his entire liver and spread all over his lungs, thus making it impossible to treat.
This is what is important to understand today.
- Ryan's liver is failing.
- He is struggling physically but in a good place mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
- No one knows how much time his body will hang on.
- We have surrounded ourselves with close family in the comfort of our home.
- Ryan chooses Starbursts over apples these days, and they bring him tremendous joy.
- "Mt. Everest" for him was one last dash to Taco Mac and a bite of a chicken wing.
- Ryan has no resentment -- only appreciation and deep gratitude for the army of people who have stepped up to help us this past year.
- Ryan wants and will want everyone to celebrate him. Celebrate your own life. Celebrate your loved ones. Live your life. Truly live it. He would be devastated if you allowed his death to bring you down and into a place not full of light and love. I mean this.
- If given a time machine, he would not go back.
- The past year was the hardest yet most remarkable of our lifetime.
- "This is just part of my journey" is what came out of his mouth just recently.
- We want and need our space right now.
- We truly love all you so much but Ryan is not physically capable to say goodbye to everyone in person therefore, no visitors please.
Please join in celebrating the legacy that Ryan created at Team Hidi 2.0 benefiting The Giving Kitchen.
