“Staring in the Face of Adversity”
By: Braden Arp

Part 1

What is a dream if it is never realized? What is a victory when there is no chance of defeat? All too often these questions are never answered and people go about their lives accepting whatever comes their way. But then on occasion, a beacon shines through the darkness piercing all doubt and stares in the face of adversity, as if to be rendering a challenge to an enemy that calls all too often. To all that know him, Ryan Roberts is that beacon.

Ryan was born with a disease called Larsen’s Syndrome. This condition was originally described and named by Dr. Larsen in 1950 to be multiple joint dislocations which affect the joints and spinal area. Ryan has spent much of his life going through multiple surgeries to gain enough mobility to allow him to participate in some of the things that he so passionately loves.

I think all of us can remember back on the times in our youth when we anxiously awaited the day to be able to participate in the hunt. I know for me, I spent several trips carrying empty firearms mile after mile on small game hunts. With the cresting of every hilltop brought new adventure and experiences. In my mind, I could hunt as far as Washington and back across through Canada on one day’s hunt. I’ve spent countless hours stalking bull elk brush piles in the backyard with a Red Rider BB gun. I harvested some trophies and never left the yard.

For Ryan, things were a little different. Ryan relied heavily on his family to assist him and help him get into situations that he could enjoy the outdoors and all its majesty. Ryan’s father is an avid outdoorsman which allowed Ryan the opportunity to do some of the things that he otherwise wouldn’t have been able to do. After traveling with his father to an antelope hunt in New Mexico, Ryan’s father decided it was time to find a way for his son to be more involved.