Posted by Scott Siegfried on November 12, 1998:

It is difficult to capture how I feel, the love he brought and how he lived, in simple words. I always remember Ryan with a smile on his face. Ryan and I were very close; he was my best friend at the academy. I remember the day we met, June 28, 1995. I met Ryan at Coach Effner's house the day before Reception Day. We got along right away and we talked for a long time, then I didn't see him for a few weeks. Mass Athletics started and we met again in the wrestling room. Ryan proceeded to kid with me about how funny I looked without hair, since I had quite a bit before R-Day. Ryan and I were in the same weight class and we wrestled daily. We, on the team, used to call him Pooh-Bear, I was never sure why but it just fit. Ryan, Yusuf Parker, and I were always together and always friends. The three of us always stuck together in practice, at night and all summer. I remember Buckner and meeting up whenever we had free time to play cards or just to have a laugh. Ryan was always good for a smile and a good laugh. I remember when we were Yearlings he used to come over and visit me in my room, but that was always an adventure too. I remember one time, hearing all this yelling in the hallway, I opened the door to see Ryan pinging down the hallway like a plebe with his socks pulled up and upperclassman yelling at him, "Stop smack, I said halt!" Just as Ryan got to me he turned around with a huge smile and told them he was a Yearling and I assured them he was as we both laughed at them hysterically. The last memories of Ryan were the weeks leading up to him going to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington DC. Ryan was having trouble remembering things and I was tutoring him in a DIRT class we had together as well as trying to help him with math and physics. Ryan was having a lot of problems with his memory and it was disheartening as I tried to help as much as I could but it was not doing much to help. Even though Ryan was having problems he continued to smile and look to the bright side. I could see the frustration in his eyes and it hurt me but Ryan never gave up and I knew he wouldn't. Ryan was an inspiration to me. I never saw someone work so hard, be so confident and remain so positive when so many things looked bad. I did not get to say good-bye to Ryan before he went to Walter Reed. I will never say good-bye. Ryan will always be my best friend at the academy and I will always love him like a brother. Ryan I know you are looking down from above and I see your smile still. Thanks for being there and I Love You. Scott

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