Ryan Lee Webster was a vivacious 11-year-old who loved sports, singing, and making new friends. On Friday, March 13, 1998, Ryan was at the skating rink as usual while his parents were at a local restaurant. They saw an ambulance speed by, not realizing it carried Ryan, who had suffered a brain aneurysm. Two weeks prior, Ryan and his sister Brooke had watched an Oprah Winfrey show where a family met the recipients of their son's organs. Ryan told his mother that day that he wanted to do the same thing. Ryan's organs saved seven lives, including that of a groomsman in his sister's wedding 10 years later.

Ryan's Story

Ryan Lee Webster was a vivacious 11-year-old who had a heart for helping others. He loved baseball, football, singing Garth Brooks and most importantly making new friends. Ryan would spend hours at his elderly neighbors' home just to chat. He loved to talk and never met a stranger.

Above all, Ryan loved to roller skate and spent almost every Friday night at the local skating rink with his friends. One particular Friday, March 13, 1998, Ryan went to the rink while his parents, Ronnie and Robbie, ate at a local restaurant. During dinner, they saw an ambulance fly by. "Man, someone must really be hurt," Robbie commented.

A few minutes later, they heard that there had been an accident, and Ryan was the one being taken to the hospital. When they arrived they were told Ryan had a brain aneurysm, and the next morning Ryan was pronounced brain dead.

Two weeks before Ryan passed away, both Ryan and his sister Brooke had watched an Oprah Winfrey show in which a family was meeting the recipients of their son's organs. Ryan told his mother that if something ever happened to him, he wanted to do what they young man did, and that the family should do the same. Ryan and Robbie did a "pinky swear" that they would grant each other's wish to be donors.

On March 14, 1998, Ryan's organs were donated, and he saved seven lives. His left kidney went to a man who became a groomsman at Brooke's wedding in 2008. Ryan continues to touch other lives through the gifts that he gave.