Lambone Posted October 8, 2003 Share Posted October 8, 2003 My first climbing partner, mentor, and oldest friend is in a coma at a hospital near Sacramento. Over the weekned he suffered serious brian trauma in a wake-boarding accident. Tahoe local Ryan Shreve is the most inspirational person I have ever known. A friend to all, allways pushing himself and others to go faster, bigger, and be better people. He inspired me to start climbing, and taught me skills passed down from his father. My best early climbing memories all involve being out there with Ryan at Lovers Leap and areas around Lake Tahoe. He climbed El Cap as his senior high school project, and since then has done may stout climbs from 5.13 at Cave Rock, to A5 nail ups on El Cap and Half Dome. In the last few years his focus has turned from climbing to saving lives as an EMT and winning wake-boarding competitions. Ryan is also the toughest dude I have ever know and I'm confident that he will pull through this. But he needs support from his fellow climbers, so take a second to send Ryan your thoughts, prayers, and energy. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sk Posted October 8, 2003 Share Posted October 8, 2003 He has my prayers, as do you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted October 8, 2003 Share Posted October 8, 2003 I know what it is like to have someone with brain injury. Three years ago son was in a coma for 8 days. Thankfully he recovered fully. I sure hope Ryan pulls through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkemp Posted October 8, 2003 Share Posted October 8, 2003 Sorry Lambone - man thats tough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon Posted October 8, 2003 Share Posted October 8, 2003 Matt, I've been in your shoes man. My bud was in a coma for about 5 days and it was really hard. Sometimes it will be a short time and they are messed up, sometimes it can be months and they wake up fine, you just never know. I hope he will be ok, hang in there man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figger_Eight Posted October 8, 2003 Share Posted October 8, 2003 It was around this time last year when I sat next to my friend in the hospital. He was in a coma for about a week with seven skull fractures, and he turned out okay. Hang in there 'bone. My thoughts are with you guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelle Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 Sounds like health, youth, strength, and attitude are all on your buddy's side. I'll send my positive thoughts his way. I hope his recovery is swift and complete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted October 14, 2003 Author Share Posted October 14, 2003 Drove to Sacramento to to see Ryan's family...they wouldn't let me into the ICU. Ryan is hanging on by a thread, and has come back from the edge several times this week. His father Mike says, "The doctors have done all they can, it is up to the Lord now. Time to get every one we can and storm the gates of heaven." Ryan couldn't have a stronger companion than Mike in this battle. Thanks for the kind words and thoughts. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracked Posted October 14, 2003 Share Posted October 14, 2003 Lambone, that is truely aweful. Best wishes, hope he makes it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted October 14, 2003 Share Posted October 14, 2003 It sometimes takes up to 7 or 8 days for brain swelling to abate. It took that long when my son had his head injury. It been that long now, so let's hope he turns the corner really soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted October 30, 2003 Author Share Posted October 30, 2003 Here is to the life of the most amazing person I have ever had the privilage of roping up with. He will be missed dearly by his friends and family. My condolences to Mike, Dawn, and Jennifer. Ryan, if you are listening up there, be sure to Heaven as much as you 'ed Earth! Wear your helmets folks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thelawgoddess Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 it sounds like he will never be forgotten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracked Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 I'm sorry, Lambone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forrest_m Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Matt - I'm really sorry to hear about your friend. If you would like to share more stories about Ryan, I think many of us would feel privileged to get to know him just a little, even if it means coming to share a tiny part of your sadness as well. Forrest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slothrop Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 I'm sorry to hear the bad news, Lambone. Post some stories! It'd be a good way to celebrate his life. Did you two do El Cap together? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scot'teryx Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Our thoughts and prayers are with Ryan's family and friends I have been in your shoes before Matt, only time can heal such a thing, and even then it still remains forever. Celebrate his life. It sounds like you guys had some pretty good timez together. Work to Live, not Live to Work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted October 30, 2003 Author Share Posted October 30, 2003 Thanks everyone, for the kind words. Let me tell you abit about my history with Ryan... I moved to Lake Tahoe with my folks when I was in 8th grade. I came from New York, and had a hard time adjusting to the mountain culture there...I loved Tahoe, but the middle school kids were very judgemental and territorial. To them I was just another flatlander tourist moving in on their turf. Or...at least this was my perception of the situation. For the first few months I hated the change. My parents tried to get me involved in something so I joined the Boy Scout Troup and the Buddy Werner Ski League. It turned out that Ryan's father Mike was both the Scout Leader and the Ski Team coach. He is an awsome guy, I can't say enough about him, my biggest adult role model asoide from my own parents. Anyway, so just by chance it ended up that Ryan and I were together alot. Ryan was the first kid in Tahoe to really accept me as a friend and treat me like an equal. I was a joke on a pair of skis, but Ryan was allways willing to wait for me, allways encourageing, and allways pushing my limits. His dad taught me the text book race techniques, but it was by following Ryan around the treelines and back bowls of Sierra Ski Ranch that I really learned how to handle a pair of skis. Although...I never did get as good as Ryan. You see those were the days of "Blizzard of Ahs" and "Liscense to thrill"...when we all tried to be like Scott and Glen, all tried to be rad...and whoevers parents could afford the newest daglo North Face Coat was the coolest kid out there. Ryan was the guy with the garage sale duck taped columbia coat, and he still ripped over everyone else. Ryan and I first really bonded on my first winter camping trip with Scouts. We made each other swear to take this story to the grave...so laugh if you want, but be prepared to get an ass kicking from Ryan someday. It was out in Carson Vally, with 3-4 feet of freshies and cold as hell, sometime in mid winter. Ryan and I were tent buddies, 'cause we were the two dorks of the troop. We both had these peice of s--- sleeping bags from campmore or something. Well in the middle of the night I was reaching hypothermia, and so was Ryan...so yeah you guessed it...we spooned. It was the only damn thing that could keep us warm. But we never told anybody for fear of ridicule...we got enough crap from the bigger guys as it was... I had my first rock climbing experience with Ryan and Mike. Well...actually all we did was rappel...but hell if it wasn't mountaineering to me. It was at Winnimuca Lake up at Carson Pass, on a Scouting trip. I thought it was the coolest thing since s--- on a stick..and was instantly enamoured by hights, ropes and all that went with them. Ryan was facinated by El Capitan. His bedroom was plastered from floor to celling of pictures of bigwall climbing. I forget exactly but I remember he had something like 200 pictures of El Cap on his walls. Keep in mind that I was 13 and he was only 11. We started climbing together and eventually his dad Mike allowed us to go climbing on our own. We'd ride our bikles to the Pie Shop in Meyers, where Ryan belayed me on my first lead, with his dads old hexs and nuts. Crepes Corner, a 5.7 crack in a corner. Man it was the best, I'll never forget. Once I got my drivers liscens every thing changed and we ventured out to Lovers Leap, 90ft wall and Cave Rock. Those were the days, we were free, pushing it and learning about eachother and ourselves. I'd say those experiences shaped who I am today more than any thing else in life. I ended up moving to Chicago during High school, and Ryan went on with his dream to climb Big Walls. He did The Prow and Leaning Tower with our buddy Mitch. Then Ryan and Mitch climbed the Tripple Direct on El CAp as their high school senior project. They did a big research project on the History of climbing in Yosemite and on El Cap, then did the route and made a video documentary. They were about 16 or so...I was so proud of him. He went on to climb lots of walls: The Shield, Zodiac, Tangeine Trip, Lurking Fear, Mescalito, South Seas, and Zenith on Half Dome. But the funny thing is that he allways insisted he hated aid climbing and that big walls sucked...yet he kept going back. Ryan was like that...he'd do harcore s--- and paly it off like it was nothing. Unfortunately I never got to climb El Cap with my big wall mentor, allthough I had allways bugged him to go up with me. He kept saying "get all the trade routes under your belt and we'll go do something hard." I didn't care about hard, I just wanted to climb the wall with the person who introduced me to it. Ryan also climbed hard sport routes including one 5.13c at Cave Rock. But a few years ago he sort of gave up on climbing, said he was bored with it. He started Wakeboarding alot, and like erything else he did, he became very good at it. Ryan hated the word, but he was an extreme person. He wasn't content with just skiing, he had to do double backflips over road gaps...and it was the same with wakeboarding. He pushed it as hard as he could, bought a boat and moved down closer to Folsom Lake. I never got to see him wakeboard, but I heard he made some movies, competed, and was sponsored and all that. Still I think Ryan's greatest success was what he did wit his proffesional life. Ryan was not a great student...he barely made it through high school, but I guess his teachers liked his El Cap video. He didn't want to go to college...he just wanted to climb. But his dad convinced him to volounteer for the Fire department in Tahoe. Then he went on to graduate from Paramedic school and get a full time position at Eldorado hills Fire department, near Sac. He was doing pretty damn well for himself, just boaught a house/boat/and new truck. I talked to him a week before the accident, and when I asked him if there was a girl...he said "oh, there are a few..." This is from a kid who never even went on a date in high school. I guess those fire guys turned him into a pimp of sorts... Ryan never liked to talk about his work. I allways pried him to tell me about some of the people he's saved, or some of the fires he has run into...but it was not his thing to talk about that. I can only imagine what kind of heroics Ryan performed in the line of duty, and I look forward to meeting some of his co-workers to hear about it. Any description of Ryan would not be complete without mentioning his faith in Jesus. He was a devout Christian, and although he did not preach or push his faith on others, his morales came straight from the church. I'm not very religious, and don't feel that I can really do justice explaining his beliefs...all I know is that much of his compassion, generosity, selflessness, and strength came through his faith. I wish I could think of some more funny stories...but none are coming to me right now. Ryan was the guy in my life that I stayed up all night and talked about chicks and climbs with the night before ski races, he is the guy who I first roped up with, and he is the guy who opened the door to the many great experiences been lucky enough to have. I think we are all greatly shaped by the people around us, and I'm thankfull that I got to hang around the Shrever...for a little while at least. Thanks for listening...oh, and by the way...he'd think all this was a bunch of crap and kick my ass if he could...probly will someday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpinfox Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Lambone - your buddy sounds like a cool guy. Sorry to hear of your loss. When you says his morals came straight from the Bible, and then mention his several girlfriends, I guess you mean the Old Testament and the multiple wives thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sk Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 thank you for sharing that. would that we were all so blessed to have such friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted October 30, 2003 Author Share Posted October 30, 2003 Dru said: Lambone - your buddy sounds like a cool guy. Sorry to hear of your loss. When you says his morals came straight from the Bible, and then mention his several girlfriends, I guess you mean the Old Testament and the multiple wives thing Yeah, well they wern't wives. Maybe he broke the rules alittle sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted November 6, 2003 Author Share Posted November 6, 2003 For anyone intersted... Ryan's memorial service was held in Lake Tahoe this last weekend. It was amazing to see over 1000 people congregate to celebrate his life. It was also very tear jerking. Anyway, there is a pretty cool video about Ryan's life, photos of his childhood, hucking huge cliffs, El Cap, and his last days on his wakeboard. It gives you a glimpse of the person he was. Go to: http://rockofroseville.org click on his photo, and then the video link. Takes a minute to load and is about 5 minutes long. There are also some words from his father and their close family friend that were spoken at the memorial. I'm not sure I agree with the message they are trying to get across, but it is an interesting perspective on extreme sports and risk. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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