Glens Falls Chronicle Serving the Glens Falls/Lake George region; Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties since 1980
By Ben Westcott, Chronicle Staff Writer
Sergeant Eddie Ryan of Lake George, shot twice in the head in northern Iraq in 2005 and now confined to a wheelchair, wants to go to Florida in April for the 3rd BN Marines Scout Sniper Reunion.
Because Sgt. Ryan can’t fly, a specially equipped RV is needed to get him to Florida. Locals are stepping up to help raise the funds to make the trip happen.
The Holiday Inn Resort in Lake George will host a fundraiser on Wednesday, March 20, 3 to 7 p.m. to help Sgt. Ryan reunite with his comrades, some of whom are credited with saving his life.
Backstreet BBQ in Hudson Falls will also do a fundraiser Saturday, March 23, from 2 to 6 p.m. with Matt Ames and Kaylie Tripp providing live entertainment.
Sgt. Ryan did three tours in Iraq.
On April 13, 2005, he was on a rooftop in Iraq with his sniper team when friendly fire struck him. His fellow Marines carried him to help. After six and a half weeks in a coma, Sgt. Ryan survived.
“He wasn’t expected to live,” Sgt. Ryan’s father Chris Ryan told The Chronicle previously. “The bullets disrupted his motor skills. He’s in a wheelchair, but he’s not paralyzed. He talks well, and he sings, and he has all of his memory from childhood, thank God.”
The Holiday Inn fundraiser webpage says the Florida reunion will feature alligator and wild boar hunting adventures, and that most of the men set to attend have not seen each other in many years.
The event, to be held at God’s Country Outfitters in San Mateo, Fla., will be “an opportunity to re-establish bonds, experience a real Florida hunting adventure together, enjoy great food, share stories and relax in a beautiful and peaceful environment,” the webpage states.
Sgt. Ryan grew up in Ellenville and joined Marines boot camp two weeks after graduating from high school. Chris Ryan told The Chronicle that the family used to vacation in Lake George every summer before moving to the town in 2010. “It’s home now,” he said.
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