Ryder's Story: Defying Expectations, Embracing Possibility
Ryder has never been one to just meet expectations—she exceeds them. Born prematurely at just 1.1 pounds, doctors didn’t expect her to survive. But today, this vibrant 8-year-old continues to prove them wrong, radiating resilience and joy.
Melissa, Ryder’s mom, first learned about her through an unexpected phone call. A few years earlier, Melissa had adopted two sisters. Now, the state was calling to say the girls had a brand-new sibling who desperately needed someone. The case worker repeated what they had heard from the hospital: Ryder’s chances of survival were slim. At that moment, knowing this was her daughters’ sister, Melissa felt an instant connection. Without hesitation, she asked to be put down as her contact.
Due to the process necessary to allow Ryder to be placed in her care, Melissa couldn’t meet Ryder in person until she was 70 days old. She vividly remembers that first encounter—this tiny baby, whose leg was no bigger than an adult’s pinky finger. “I found it hard to believe anything that tiny could have organs inside,” she recalls.
Finally, the moment came when Melissa could hold Ryder. Whispering words of comfort, she told her, “You’re okay now. Your family is here, and we are not leaving.” The next day, Melissa’s adult daughter stayed with Ryder while she went to work. When she returned, something incredible had happened. Doctors were removing Ryder’s feeding tube, and that afternoon, she took her first bottle. With the love of her family surrounding her, she continued to defy expectations.
A Journey of Strength and Transformation
Ryder has faced immense medical challenges, including cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus, infantile spasms, and developmental delays. She has undergone over 10 brain surgeries and, at one point as an infant, suffered more than 300 seizures a day.
She began outpatient therapy at Ranken Jordan in October 2022, searching for a new approach after hitting an impasse with other physical therapy. Ryder resisted prescribed therapy goals, and she fought against what was expected of her. Melissa, knowing all her daughter had overcome, felt that Ryder needed a different approach.
At Ranken Jordan, Ryder found a place where therapy was designed around her—not milestones or timelines. She participated in physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. Therapists watched and listened, truly getting to know her. She wasn’t measured against a prescribed checklist but by her own growth and achievements.
Melissa remembers when Ryder’s speech therapist made a bold recommendation: ending speech therapy.
“I was shocked—Ryder wasn’t speaking,” Melissa recalls. But the therapist reassured her, saying, “She’s brilliant. Her receptive language is incredible, but she has aphasia, and the words aren’t coming out yet. It is frustrating for her. We could keep pushing therapy, or we could trust that she will make progress on her own.”
And that’s exactly what happened. Today, Ryder is speaking and expressing herself with confidence.
“How did they know?” Melissa reflects. “Because they truly knew my child.”
A Shining Star
With Ranken Jordan’s tailored therapy approach, Ryder has set and met new goals, constantly growing. She now talks, carries on conversations, and has begun reading. Though she didn’t walk until she was five, today she participates in golf programming and even gymnastics.
Melissa laughs when talking about gymnastics: “She always comes in last—Ryder really isn’t one to follow a set routine. But she gets out there, her lively personality shining through every step, always finishing with a huge smile on her face.”
Over the years, Melissa has connected with other parents of children living with disabilities, discussing difficult diagnoses, frustrations with systems, and the constant focus on what their child can’t do.
Melissa tells them, “You have to speak life into your child, until everyone thinks you’re crazy, that’s when you are doing your job.”
And reflecting on Ranken Jordan, she says, “That’s what Ranken does – it speaks life into every child here.”
Ryder is just one of Ranken Jordan’s shining stars you will meet at this year’s BEYOND Gala – Together We Shine: A Night for Hope and Healing. Please join us at the Ritz-Carlton on September 27, 2025.
