"Behind every scar is a story of survival"

Our family never imagined life would change this drastically. Our brother has been fighting a long and painful battle with Crohn's disease- a disease that has taken so much from him physically, emotionally and financially. Ryan has battled this disease for many years and has endured multiple surgeries since 2009. Most recently, he underwent two major surgeries – the first on the 30th of December 2025 and another on the 5th of January 2026. Sadly, complications from these surgeries have left Ryan with intestinal failure. He now relies on a HICC line and TPN. For someone facing intestinal failure, every day becomes an act of endurance- learning to survive when the body can no longer absorb the nourishment it desperately needs to survive every day.

Living with a HICC line and depending on TPN feeds is not simply a medical routine; it is carrying tubes, pumps, exhaustion, hospital stays, infections and uncertainty into every part of his life. What most people don't see are the daily struggles behind closed doors: the life changing complications, pain, exhaustion, fear, medications, appointments and sleepless nights. Yet within that struggle there is extraordinary strength. It takes courage to keep going when the suffering is constant, when freedom feels limited, and when even eating -something so ordinary for others- becomes impossible. Behind all the scars, sleepless and restless nights, behind the smile falls a silent grief but is a person who continues to show resilience, hope, and determination in ways that deserve deep compassion and admiration.

Watching someone you love to go through this is heart breaking. He has lost so much of the normal life that most of us take for granted, yet he never gives up and continues to keep going every single day.

Crohn's and Colitis is an invisible illness that affect millions of people, yet so many suffer silently. Behind the scenes are people facing surgeries, feeding tubes, parental nutrition, medications, isolation, mental exhaustion and life-changing complications that most people never see.

This fundraiser is not only for Ryan's journey- it is for everyone fighting Crohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis every single day.

We want to turn this difficult journey into something positive raise awareness and money for those affected by these devastating illnesses to support Crohn's and Colitis. Every donation will help fund vital research, improve treatments, give patient support to those living with the disease and hopefully one day bring us to a cure so that others won’t have to go through what Ryan has faced.

Ryan's story is one of resilience, courage, and survival, and we hope that by sharing it, we can help others feel seen, supported and understood. Every donation makes a difference, sharing this fundraiser, or helping spread awareness, it would mean the world to our family and to so many others affected by these diseases.

Thank you for all your support, kindness and help and for standing with us and the Crohn's and Colitis community for contributing and raising awareness for this devasting condition and transforming pain into purpose.