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Ryan Roach

 

Ryan RoachOn Friday morning (in that strange twist of fate, the day of my birthday) I got a phone call from my best friend Doug Fowler. His voice was cracking up and I immediately knew it was bad. He informed me that our other best friend Ryan Roach was admitted late Thursday night into the hospital for extremely high blood pressure & had fluid in his lungs. He was unconscious, but the doctors changed his meds & he was more lucid. Ryan couldn’t speak and was intubated. He was placed as well in the critical care unit.

Only immediate family was allowed to be with Ryan at the hospital. So Doug Fowler, Eddie Floresca, and I kept in constant contact with Chris Robinson (Ryan’s soul mate, constant stage partner, and best friend). Chris was the mediator between Ryan’s sister & family and us three. From there I was keeping everyone on social media posted with updates. Turned out that Ryan had called Chris early that Thursday around 4:00am letting him know he was driving himself to out care because he was having chest pains. But as the day progressed, his health got worse.

Saturday at 1:30pm I was given the latest update on Ryan. Sometime late Friday night Ryan had a massive stroke and the doctors had informed the Roach family that they are not expecting him to recover and he was also unconscious. If he did recover, he will most likely be in a vegetative state. It was then I learned that the family was deciding on the hardest decision that no parent wants to face regarding their child. I sat by the phone waiting and waiting, tears streaming constantly. I posted on social media that update and asked that anyone who was performing in a show that night to please gather on stage before the show began to say a prayer for Ryan and his family.

At around 5:00pm I was told that Ryan’s sister had called Chris and told him to come to the hospital immediately. The family had decided to take Ryan off the ventilator and they wanted Chris to say goodbye. I was told to wait to tell everyone until I got the call.

The call came at 6:45pm. Ryan had passed away. I knew my job was to inform everyone. But I sobbed and screamed in my quiet apartment for five minutes. Gathered my thoughts and informed everyone via social media that our beloved Ryan Roach had passed away.

Since the news broke, the outpour of love, tears, sorrow, and memories for Ryan from ALL OVER the nation on face book has been staggering! He touched so, so many lives. It was VERY touching to read on Facebook that many casts (not just in DFW, but all round the nation) had indeed gathered together before curtain, prayed for Ryan and dedicated their performance that night to him. Some informed their audience during their curtain speech of Ryan’s passing and asked for a moment of silence. I know Ryan loved that!

Last night (Sunday) Chris Robinson, Doug Fowler, Eddie Floresca, and I met at Chris’s apartment to discuss the process of organizing and planning Ryan’s memorial service, who will do what, how to send information out to everyone, and so on. Doug Fowler will be contacting people later on this week regarding this. We also celebrated Chris’s birthday which was last Sunday with cake and to laugh and cry about Ryan and our memories of him.

But, Chris is so overwhelmed with grief and pain, which is very understandable. So the three of us (Doug, Eddie, and myself) have taken charge to handle everything and take it off his hands. But Chris wanted me to pass this along to EVERYONE. So PLEASE, PLEASE pass and share this with mutual friends. This comes directly from Chris to you all:


Dear D/FW Theatre Community and friends,

Thank you so much for the outpouring of love and comfort that you’ve been sending me over the last few days. I’m getting through this with the wonderful support of Eddie, Doug, and John, so please don’t think I’m trying to handle this alone…I couldn’t. They are there for me every step of the way. I can feel your love and concern and please know that I read every text and listen to every call. Please, please know that while I feel your love, I still am processing my grief, too. Unfortunately, I cannot respond to everyone individually, but please believe that your words of comfort are helping me get through this. Thank you again for the love and support.

Chris Robinson

On a personal note from myself: Ryan has been a MAJOR, MAJOR part of my very small circle of truly best friends for over HALF of my life. We met as drama majors at UNT. We did so many shows together. Just this past Sunday he was at our COLUMN Awards Board meeting. He was on the very first board of directors of this organization 15 years ago and stayed on this board till his passing. He was my best friend who never left my side. Always there to support and fight for me. He meant the same to Doug, Eddie, and especially to Chris.

I am sharing ALL the LATEST, UP TO DATE information regarding Ryan’s viewing and funeral. There will also be a separate memorial service to celebrate Ryan’s life within the DFW Theater community, and other events and vital information below:

 

VIEWING AND FUNERAL INFORMATON:

The viewing will be Tuesday July 30, 2013 in the evening from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the Deberry Funeral Home located at 2025 W. University Drive, Denton Texas 76201. Link and info to funeral home:

https://www.facebook.com/events/399595520146849/

The funeral itself will be held at 10:00am on Wednesday morning on July 31, 2013 at the same location above. Chris wanted me to pass along the following message that the Roach family wanted passed along to all of Ryan’s friends: “Ryan’s family wants everyone to know that they are all welcomed to attend.”



SPECIAL MEMORIAL SERVICE PLANNED
TO CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF CHARLES RYAN ROACH

This is still in its VERY EARLY stages of planning, but we at least wanted to give out the date now so that everyone can plan ahead so that you can attend.

This will be a special memorial service in which all of us within the DFW Theater community, as well as ANY of Ryan’s friends from within his many other “families”. Such as the University Of North Texas Drama Department, his large array of friends who share his love and passion for Harry Potter/ Lord of the Rings/ Star Wars/ Star Trek. Also his friends from the Scarborough Renaissance Festival and other areas/interests in which you met and were touched by Ryan’s love, support, and friendship.

DATE: Saturday August 10, 2013 at 11:00AM

WHERE: The Kalita Humphreys Theater, 3636 Turtle Creek Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75219 (east side of Turtle Creek, between Blackburn& Lemmon)




DONATION FUND SET UP FOR RYAN ROACH



Ryan’s dear UNT college friend Stacie Johnson (who now lives in New York) has set up a fund to help the Roach family in regards to medical/funeral costs. That link is below as well.

Donation fund for Ryan: http://www.gofundme.com/3qps7s




FACEBOOK PAGE: TO RYAN ROACH WITH LOVE


This is a beautiful Facebook page that has been created for everyone to share your thoughts, pictures, memories, friendship, and love for our Ryan:

Facebook group "To Ryan Roach, With Love!"

https://www.facebook.com/groups/414370175338182/




AMY STEVENSON OF MAMA’S PARTY FAME
WILL HOLD SPECIAL EVENT ON AUGUST 26

Our very own “mama”, Amy Stevenson is dedicating one of her beloved Mama’s Party nights as a special fundraiser for Ryan and his family. This will held on Monday, August 26. More info and details to come.