When we were asked to be on the news, we were amazed. Ohio Drip - what started as me and Kelsey's way to bring happiness into our lives during a hard time, had grown into a reason for Rodney Dunigan from ABC 6 to show up at our house with a camera to talk about it.
We've always said if we can brighten just a few lives in our community, this would be worth it. We never thought Ohio Drip would reach Portland, Oregon.
We found out that it did when we received this message a few days after the segment aired:
Hello Ryan,
My name is Amy and I am a board certified massage therapist living in Portland, Oregon. I saw your story on the news this evening and was completely taken by it. In addition to my career as a massage therapist and body worker I also formerly had a career as an artist with a degree in graphic design. I am currently helping to rehabilitate/care for a young man who is a quadriplegic. He is 20 years old and had a brain incident at the beginning of covid March 2020 which left him completely reliant on others for care. Prior to that, just like you, he was an active and athletic...
she continued
young man of 18 who loved skiing and mountain biking as well as ( unbelievably) designing t shirts on his computer. The reason that I am contacting you is that he is having MANY challenges as you well understand. Recently he has been struggling with the acceptance of his situation and the mounting challenges that it brings. I have been working with him doing bodywork and have seen the amazing spirit and determination that he has despite his situation. We ( his family and I) have searched far and wide to find someone who might be an inspiration and hope for him that has something in common with and has been through what he has. I am wondering Ryan if you might be willing to talk to me, his parents regarding this idea? I know that this is a very unusual request, especially on Etsy (which is a super way for artists to market!) but maybe you might understand and feel that you could relate and help us out. I wasn’t certain how to communicate regarding something like this but I am not a technical person and don’t belong to Facebook or instagram and this was the only way that I saw that I could contact you otherwise. I am hopeful that you may be willing to at least talk with us regarding this young man as I see so much that you two have in common and we are so hoping to find a way to help him feel more supported and lifted. It seems that an introduction from someone who has overcome similar challenges would help. Perhaps you might consider whether you would be willing to connect with him and if so how that might work?
Thank you so very much Ryan for your willingness to read this and consider. I will leave you my email and hope to hear from you either way.
Amy Eastman LMT, BCTMB, MH
I didn't even know the dude, but I felt for him immediately. My accident left me paralyzed from the chest down and significantly impacted the function of my left hand. The shift from being able to move - to being stuck in my own body was absolutely jarring. My mobility was limited in a major way. I could not imagine losing all mobility and the ability to speak.
Movement. Speech. These are the tools we use to express ourselves. Your voice. Your communication style. Your body language. These are windows the world uses to understand you. So much is conveyed outside of the words we use. So much is expressed through our creative outlets and the art we choose to make. The way we play the games we play and do the dances we dance all give the world a glimpse into our being.
I HAD to help this guy express himself.
I talked it over with Kelsey and it was an easy decision:
Amy,
Amy and I set up a call to meet officially.
My first impression of this beautiful soul was the warmth of her voice radiating through the phone. There is a caring, gentleness about Amy that puts you at peace. We talked for over an hour, learning about each other and what makes us tick. It felt like 10 minutes the way the conversation flowed. She shared Bryan's story with me, and told me a little about the Richardson family. She suggested we set up a video call to meet, and so we did.
Amy introduced us to Sharon and Jeff via email, and we set a date.
The day came, and I sat nervously in front of a black computer screen in the Zoom meeting lobby. When the camera turned on, I saw a group of smiling faces surrounding Bryan sitting in his chair, also donning a grin.
Sharon and Jeff were joined by Payton, Bryan's main caretaker who introduced herself as his sister. I'd learn later the bond they have confirms the title.
The Richardson's heard my story, so we started with Bryan.
Jeff recounted Bryan's life and story for me. It is summarized here:
For three years, Bryan Richardson lived with the knowledge that deep inside his brain, arteries had tangled to form an Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM). These arteries created a very high risk of hemorrhage, which can result in brain damage or death.
After consulting a cadre of doctors, Bryan and his parents, Jeff and Sharon, chose a radiation treatment over a risky surgery.
Bryan was 15 years old when he got his diagnosis. The article from Craig Hospital continues,
Despite the worry of the “time bomb in his head,” for three years, Bryan embraced life. “We only have one chance to lead a life with purpose,” he wrote in a college admissions essay. “For me, this means enjoying my life, helping others, and experiencing new things.”
On what would have been his first day at the University of Denver, Bryan was blocks away from campus in a therapy session at Craig Hospital. His AVM had ruptured six months earlier on March 13, a few days after being told that it had shrunk enough to make him a candidate for surgery.
(for a more detailed recollection from Bryan's dad Jeff, watch here)
Bryan was now quadriplegic and nonverbal - he could no longer speak or move his body. His eyelids became his only communication tools, using blinks to signal affirmation to yes or no questions from his family and caretakers.
Got an Itch?
Hungry?
Too hot?
Clothing uncomfortable?
See when your body works, you just take care of those things automatically. You scratch your nose, grab a snack, adjust the thermostat, and change shirts. Then you continue your day barely having noticed you did those things because you were likely too preoccupied with your to-do list for them to register.
For Bryan, these small, everyday actions became gargantuan tasks. He had to hope that someone would ask him the right question, in the right way, at the right time.
What questions would I ask Bryan so we could design a shirt together from scratch?
