sc85sis
Well-known member
Please excuse me for posting this. It has nothing to do with the Seahawks. It does relate to Pete Carroll and the Trojans teams he coached from about 2004-2009, and I hope the mods will leave it up in the main forum for a day or so; this story speaks both to the kind of man we have as our head coach and the special impact a young boy named Ryan Davidson had on so many in the Trojan Family. I hope Ryan will inspire some of you as well.
Ryan Davidson was a young kid from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. He was born on February 19, 1993 and diagnosed with brain cancer when he was just six years old. Ryan's dad, Kirby, was a USC fan, so Ryan also became a fan of the Trojans. His favorite player was QB Matt Leinart. Around 2004, Ryan got the chance to come to USC and meet Matt, Coach Carroll and the team, and a love affair was quickly born. Those Trojan football players adopted the scrawny kid with the indomitable spirit. Soon many of the Trojan Family followed suit. Ryan was dubbed "Chip McPlank" by the team and became a sort of good luck charm for them; many who followed the football team also followed Ryan as he battled valiantly against cancer and showed the true meaning of the Trojan motto, "Fight On!"
In the fall of 2008, doctors gave Ryan the news that there was no more to be done. He told them it was OK and comforted them, finishing with a "Fight On!" Ryan then decided to do something amazing. He formed his own Relay for Life team to raise money for the fight against cancer and set a goal of $15,000. He wanted to help prevent other kids from going through what he had. Word spread and pretty soon that goal was reached. So Ryan raised it. Then that goal was reached, so Ryan set it higher. Eventually Ryan raised over $50,000 via his Team Trojan.
Finally, Ryan could fight on no more. 5 years ago today he passed away, on his 16th birthday. Team Trojan continues on in many communities, with well over $100,000 having been raised in Ryan's honor.
I never got a chance to meet Ryan in person. I exchanged some emails with his dad and Ryan himself. And I've become Facebook friends with his equally-amazing sister, Mallory. Even though I never met him, he inspired me and many, many others. His positive attitude never wavered in spite of facing his own death and all the trials of cancer treatments. He made a huge difference in the world in an all-too-short 16 years.
Thank you to Pete for bringing Ryan (and Jake Olsen and Ricky Rosas) into my life. You are a special person, just as Ryan was.
Happy 21st, Ryan. Thank you for the inspiration. I will try to do my best to live up to your example and keep on fighting on no matter what life brings my way. God bless you on your special day. Enjoy the party in Heaven!
http://host.madison.com/news/fight-on-t ... 3a26f.html
http://vimeo.com/18897363
Ryan Davidson was a young kid from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. He was born on February 19, 1993 and diagnosed with brain cancer when he was just six years old. Ryan's dad, Kirby, was a USC fan, so Ryan also became a fan of the Trojans. His favorite player was QB Matt Leinart. Around 2004, Ryan got the chance to come to USC and meet Matt, Coach Carroll and the team, and a love affair was quickly born. Those Trojan football players adopted the scrawny kid with the indomitable spirit. Soon many of the Trojan Family followed suit. Ryan was dubbed "Chip McPlank" by the team and became a sort of good luck charm for them; many who followed the football team also followed Ryan as he battled valiantly against cancer and showed the true meaning of the Trojan motto, "Fight On!"
In the fall of 2008, doctors gave Ryan the news that there was no more to be done. He told them it was OK and comforted them, finishing with a "Fight On!" Ryan then decided to do something amazing. He formed his own Relay for Life team to raise money for the fight against cancer and set a goal of $15,000. He wanted to help prevent other kids from going through what he had. Word spread and pretty soon that goal was reached. So Ryan raised it. Then that goal was reached, so Ryan set it higher. Eventually Ryan raised over $50,000 via his Team Trojan.
Finally, Ryan could fight on no more. 5 years ago today he passed away, on his 16th birthday. Team Trojan continues on in many communities, with well over $100,000 having been raised in Ryan's honor.
I never got a chance to meet Ryan in person. I exchanged some emails with his dad and Ryan himself. And I've become Facebook friends with his equally-amazing sister, Mallory. Even though I never met him, he inspired me and many, many others. His positive attitude never wavered in spite of facing his own death and all the trials of cancer treatments. He made a huge difference in the world in an all-too-short 16 years.
Thank you to Pete for bringing Ryan (and Jake Olsen and Ricky Rosas) into my life. You are a special person, just as Ryan was.
Happy 21st, Ryan. Thank you for the inspiration. I will try to do my best to live up to your example and keep on fighting on no matter what life brings my way. God bless you on your special day. Enjoy the party in Heaven!
http://host.madison.com/news/fight-on-t ... 3a26f.html
http://vimeo.com/18897363
