Posted on 11/03/2006 6:44:27 AM PST by Lando Lincoln
Green Bay - Living isn't sitting in front of the TV all night after work, watching sports. It's going to his sons' games to support them.
Living is using his expertise as a psychologist to help troubled kids at Ranch Ehrlo, a non-profit treatment center.
Living is simple moments like laughter at the dinner table.
So when the doctors told Bob Ryan he would need half his body amputated, more tumors removed from his lungs and who knows what else just to stay alive, Ryan could not agree.
"He said he wanted to live, not survive," said his son, Jon Ryan. "He said, 'That's no way for a man to live.' "
So 54-year-old Bob Ryan, in acute pain, with his severely swollen leg his constant reminder that he is dying from cancer, decided to get on with his living.
Last weekend he left Regina, Saskatchewan, and flew to Wisconsin to see his 24-year-old son Jon punt for his beloved NFL team, the Green Bay Packers.
"Before the game he said his pain was zero, which was remarkable," said Jon.
If it's interesting that the Packers have a punter from Canada, it's fascinating that the Ryan family members are Packers fans. Football is pretty big in Canada. It's not as big as hockey, but it doesn't appear that Jon Ryan's destiny was in that game anyway.
"My dad is the ultimate sports dad," said Jon Ryan. "I played five or six sports and he would be at every one of my games. He was never that dad up in the stands yelling. I remember I played hockey, and there'd be games I'd play terrible, at goalie. I'd let in like 10 goals, and some dads are yelling at their sons and my dad would just say, 'Good job, you'll get 'em next time.' "
Bob's NFL team has been Green Bay for more than 40 years, which may or may not have influenced Jon to turn down more money with the New York Giants to try out here.
But Bob Ryan first knew something wasn't right last winter, when it was thought he pulled a groin muscle. Cancer wasn't a concern because there's no family history. Yet in August, while Jon was trying to win the Packers punting job in training camp, Bob was diagnosed with Chondrosarcoma, a very rare cancer of bone cartilage.
Bob Ryan's tumors originated in his leg and hip and the cancer weakened his bones to the point that when he slipped, he broke his femur. Then the cancer spread.
"The tumor burst out of the bone and started to grow like crazy. He felt like he could see it get bigger almost daily," said Jon's mother, Barb Ryan.
Because this cancer doesn't respond to chemotherapy or radiation, Bob expected to treat it with a hind quarter amputation, almost up to his waist. But the tumors had spread to Bob's lungs and the other hip as well.
"Surgery was out of the question," Barb added. "So they just diagnosed him as terminal and sent him back home, and we're doing our best to look after him."
The day before the Packers' game against Arizona, Ryan's agent, Gil Scott, CFL Saskatchewan Roughrider president Jim Hopson and Regina businessman Paul Hill collaborated to get a private jet to send the Ryan family to Lambeau.
Packers equipment manager Red Batty, a Montreal native, arranged a private box for the family at a discount to Ryan, who makes the NFL minimum salary.
Batty had vans pick up the Ryan family at the airport tarmac and sent them first to the southeast tunnel, which was a surprise to Jon.
After warm-ups, Jon threw his arms around his father when he saw him on the field.
"I lost it," said Jon. "It was a moment that I'll never, ever forget. That was probably as special of a moment I'll ever have in my life."
Batty introduced Bob to several other players who filed by with high-fives and well wishes. Brett Favre leaned in to Bob a little longer.
"Try to make it so Jon doesn't have to punt too much today," Bob Ryan told Favre.
"I'll do my best," the quarterback said.
Jon had to pace along the sidelines before the game, composing himself so much so that neither kicker Dave Rayner nor special teams coach Mike Stock detected anything unusual.
"Jon's pretty mentally strong," said Rayner. "I think he was just so excited to have his father there."
Ryan punted twice for a 53-yard average in the Packers' 31-14 victory. After the game, Packers coach Mike McCarthy greeted Bob. Then Barb, Jon's sisters, Erica Honaway and Jill Scheer, and more family spent additional time with Jon. The Ryans only wished that youngest brother Steve could have been there, but he is in the middle of college football in Canada.
"A perfect ending to a perfect day," said Barb. "It was pretty emotional. I think Jon really thought he might have seen his dad for the last time when he came home for the bye week. You know, he's so close to his dad, he's so much like his dad. So this opportunity came up and it was amazing. We were over the moon."
Ryan has surprised mostly everyone with his strong leg on punts, and Stock said he admired Ryan for playing so well under the circumstances.
"He's been very professional, done a fine job and he's shown that he belongs," said Stock.
When Ryan punts in his eighth career NFL game Sunday at Buffalo, his family will be back at home in Regina with the projection screen TV they bought to watch the Packers games, eating chips from a Packer helmet and still talking about the three Halloween trick or treaters they had in Packers uniforms (two No. 4s, and even one little redhead wearing No. 9, Jon Ryan's number).
"It's a helpless feeling being so far away," Ryan said. "But at the same time, playing football may help my family. That's an escape for them, to spend three hours a week just not thinking about cancer."
Lando 
What a brave man. He and his family have my prayers.
Okay, I kept it pretty much together until I got to the picture.
During the game on Sunday I was wondering why after Ryan's last punt (53 yards) that the special teams coach and a few others were hugging him so emotionally...it all made sense when I read about this the next day in the Green Bay paper.
Special day for the whole family...imagine even how much more special it would have been if the botched fake field goal would have been successful...I believe Ryan was the intended receiver for the play.
This just gives me goosebumps because I remember hearing the guys on the radio say at some point in the 3rd or 4th quarter "Well, that's the first time today the Packers have had to punt; I'd say that's pretty good!"
This is the first I've heard of this story. Very touching. Thank you.
Sometimes football ain't just a game...
I'm so moved by this.....let's call out the prayer warriors?
We felt it was important to get on top of that team as fast as we can, and we saw a big-play opportunity in the field-goal phase, and we went for it. And I probably didn't call it in the best situation. But I promise you this, if they would have went for the block, Jon Ryan might have been standing in the end zone. "
Maybe, just maybe, we saw the human side of Coach McCarthy. What a treasure it would have been had Ryan scored.
Great story. My heart and prayers go out to this family!
My Dad made the same decision 6 months ago--still alive and kicking, but just a matter of time....I couldn't agree with his decision more.
This is a great article, Mozie. Prayers go out to the Ryan family for strength to deal with this.
In regards to other reply, I'm so glad your family will be spending Thanksgiving together again this year.
God bless your Dad and your family.
NFL ping.
God bless your brave son and family. May you have a joyous reunion.
Waiting for the phone call....................could be any day now!!!!!!!!!:-)
5.56mm
VERY special prayers going upward!!!
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