Community Corner

A Town Holds Its Breath

Word traveled fast of injury to popular Berlin native.

I have coached thousands of kids in my 20 years of high school and youth coaching.

All of them hold a special place in your heart but some kids just stay with you for one reason or another. 

Ryan Lee held a place because he is the kid Eddie Haskell from "Leave it to Beaver" who schmoozed everyone he met. Mothers of his friends love him. His friends love him. People he meets for minutes fall in love with him.

Find out what's happening in Berlinwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

You won't find a person who doesn't like Ryan Lee. He comes from a tremendous family. His parents Dan and Teresa did a great job raising him and his younger sister Amanda, who I also coached. 

Ryan Lee needs your prayers after being hit by a fast-moving cab while walking on a street in Manhattan on Easter Sunday night. 

Find out what's happening in Berlinwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Word spread like wild fire on facebook of the injuries. Here are some of the examples of messages left on Ryan's facebook wall. 

Ryan
I honestly have no clue what to even say man. You need to stay strong and come through because I need to be able to see you this summer and play golf with you. I have my conference tournament this weekend...this ones for you! love you

you'll be on my mind till the second i find out everything is ok....your a great kid, stay strong brotha

Ryan everyone is praying for your quick return on the course. You are needed buddy. God is your caddy, he will help get you and your family through this ordeal.

Even if you don't know him pray for Ryan Lee. He is the type of person that everyone has to love, even for his sarcastic sense of humor that pissed you off so much :) I love you and you have one of the biggest prayer groups out there so I know I'll see your crazy hair again<333

And then there was mine: 

You are one of the favorite kids I ever coached, I'm devestated. If anyone can handle this it's you Ryan, don't you dare give up...Dan and Therea if you need anything we're here for you...

Ryan's dad Dan is a basketball coach at Cheshire High School and Ryan loves basketball. He started out as a little-used player on the freshmen and junior varsity teams and then came his senior year. Ryan and fellow seniors Tim Cote and John McNair helped a young team beat teams Berlin had no business beating, including state power Northwest Catholic. 

I talked to Cote today. He and John McNair were going to go to New York but Dan Lee told them not to come because they would miss visiting hours and it would be better if they waited. 

Ryan is a golfer at Long Island University. He was a fixture at Timberlin Golf Course when he was growing up and still calls Timberlin his home. His fellow golfers are wrecked with grief.

So a town waits and hopes for a young man's recovery. Say a prayer for Ryan tonight and kiss and hug your kids.

If Ryan was in front of me right now I would hug him as hard as I could and never let him go. 

Time for Berlin to say a collective prayer. 


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