Saturday, February 11, 2023
Tina and family,
I was shocked, to say the least, to hear about Ryan's passing. Ryan was one of my best friends towards the end of elementary school and the beginning of high school.
As I am sure you'll remember, we spent countless hours outside at the co-op playing basketball and just hanging out. We also had some good battles on the court against Ryan's older brother Nick and his friends. I can still hear the sound of the chain mesh after a made basket in my head.
We both shared a love for music and would spend much of our time together listening to grunge music, mostly in your basement. I can't count how many times we made mix tapes. Ryan always insisted we have some punk on those tapes, Rancid and the Sex Pistols in particular. He had a significant influence in introducing me to music that has become the soundtrack to my life, still to this day.
One of the great things about Ryan was that he always questioned things. He was inquisitive and always had a unique perspective on things. He never took things for face value. He was a rebel in this sense. And that's what I loved about him. He constantly challenged me to go outside of my comfort zone (even though it got us in trouble sometimes haha!).
The last time I ran into Ryan was by chance a few years ago. We had a few drinks, caught up on our lives and had a fantastic conversation. It was a great time, to say the least.
I will carry these fond memories forward with me.
Condolences,
Nolan Wilson and family.
