Ryan Heller is a 14 year old who lives in Rockford, Illinois. Ryan was born with a congenital heart defect that has required multiple (8) open-heart surgeries in his young life. Due to his many surgeries and a large portion of his life spent in hospital rooms, Ryan has not grown at the normal “pace” of boys his age.

Ryan had his first surgery when he was one month old, and his most recent in 2004. This was supposed to be his last surgery, and everything was going well until December of 2007. The new valve that the doctors had put in began to leak and disintegrate. It was at this time that “a bomb” was dropped on all of us, “Ryan needs a heart transplant” the doctors told us, “there is nothing else we can do with medication or conventional surgery.” This was a shock to all of us since we were told as recently as 2006 that Ryan was not a candidate for transplant. The medical field is changing constantly, and newer and more successful methods are being discovered. The doctors believe that they can give Ryan a new heart, and a new outlook on life. Now, all of the testing and preparation is over. All we can do is wait, and pray, and hope for the phone to ring…

Ryan is in the eighth grade at Rockford Christian School in Rockford, Illinois. Rockford Christian has been actively involved in Ryan’s life since he began school there with kindergarten in 2000. Rockford Christian has offered a challenging curriculum which is Christ centered, as well as a safe learning environment. Ryan has come to know Jesus Christ, and He has played an important role in our lives. The prayers that his classmates and teachers offer on a daily basis give him the strength to meet his daily challenges. His favorite classes are: Social Studies and Science. God has a special plan for Ryan, and all we can do is pray that one day this will be revealed.

Ryan is an avid sports enthusiast. Since he cannot play sports due to his condition, he is constantly evaluating, watching, and coaching his favorite sports: football, baseball and basketball. His favorite sports teams are the New England Patriots and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Ryan also loves to cook. He has realized that any dreams of playing sports are just that, so he has taken an interest in cooking. He loves to cook and eat Mexican dishes, along with preparing and cooking ribs and steaks.

Please keep Ryan in your daily prayers.

We will update this site on a regular basis with new information, pictures of Ryan and links.