Islanders remember Ryan LoBue

MEMORIES OF RYAN LOBUE

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A message and a tribute from Ryan's mom

Ryan Lobue's older brother Daniel took this photo of Toni and Ryan the week before the crash.

A tribute to Ryan

By Toni LoBue

posted 09/22/03
On Sunday morning December 9th, l984 on the way to the hospital John and I gazed at the beautiful full moon and knew our family was soon to be complete. Ryan John LoBue came into this world at ll: 20 a. m. as the nurse exclaimed "he is a whopper" 9 lbs 7 oz. He was a beautiful healthy baby and so very sweet from birth.

He grew up surrounded with the love of his great-grand parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and friends in San Jose, CA. Ryan was so much like his dad in many ways. He was quiet and shy but what a sense of humor. Ryan and John were the quiet observers of the world around them. They saw more than most of us ever take the time to see. I would see them together lying on their bellies, heads hanging over our dock and studying the life in our pond. They loved to take walks around our property looking to see what wildlife they could find and observe.

If John and Ryan were not outside then they were in the garage working on a project. Most likely, building a cage for the many pets Ryan had. These pets included snakes, fish, hermit crabs, rats, iguanas and his blue and gold macaw, Bert, cats and his beloved golden retrievers.

And then there were the pigs. We loved raising pigs, it was a family affair. Ryan and Dan both raised 4H, grand champion market hogs. Much to his brother’s dismay, Ryan always made more money at the livestock auction than Dan. At the end of one auction Dan turned to Ryan and said "You won’t be so cute forever."

Daniel and Ryan were your typical brothers growing up. They would wrestle and fight like two puppies, but they were always united as brothers. As they grew they shared many of the same interests. They enjoyed spending time together fishing, listening to music and playing Nintendo. Ryan had an extensive collection of movies which they enjoyed watching together. They were always challenging each other to horse shoe and ping pong tournaments. Ryan was the king of home entertainment!

Ryan never wanted to be one of the crowd. He worked at being different; his hair would tell you that. Only Ryan would arrive at his senior prom wearing "Saturday Night Fever" disco clothes with a 23-year-old date on his arm. Even his bike was unique. He loved his customized, motorized cruiser.

Why

Ryan's mother, Toni LoBue read this at the Sept. 21, 2003 memorial service

I passed Ryan on the road Friday night as he pedaled his bike home from work. I slowed my car and told him I was on my way to town to have dinner with friends and I would see him later at home. He shouted back "maybe I’ll just hang out then" and I said no, you better get home, big boy. He laughed and away he went.

Ryan never made it home that night.

I keep asking over and over, why, why did this happen? I know the whole community is asking the same question.

With the number of bicycle riders that come to our island year after year, why my precious son had to be the first and only bicycle fatality.

I have tried to find a reason or purpose to my son’s death. There is none.

So I have decided to create one.

Ryan had many friends; when I asked him "what did you do last night, he would say "hang out" I would say "with who?"he would reply "everyone."

I would ask "where did you go" Ryan would reply "I was here, there, everywhere." "What did you do," he would say "nothing."

I know I could never really get details out of Ryan or did I really want to know?

To all of you that know what hanging out, with everyone and getting into a car to do nothing really means – This is what killed my son Ryan.

The purpose of Ryan’s death is for every one of you to stop and think before you "hang out and do nothing." Remember your friend Millhouse; he was one of your own, struck down in the prime of his life, by one of his own.

Ryan started working at the local pet shop, Critters, at ll years old. It was more fun than work to him, being around all the different animals. At l3 he started his career at Kings Market as a courtesy clerk. It was obvious from the start that he was a hard worker and took his job seriously. Even when I, his mother, would go through the check- out he would ask "paper or plastic?"

Then he would shyly look up from his big glasses and give me his cute sideways smile. He would carry my bags out and not until he got to our car would he let down his professional image and ask me "mom, what’s for dinner" or "can I have some money for lunch?" and back to work he would go. As he matured he gained confidence in himself and welcomed learning new skills, one of which was working in the butcher department. He was required to cover his hair and instead of a simple hair net Ryan wore a blue shower cap!

People would ask me "do you have children?" I would proudly say "yes, two sons. My older son Dan is a student at the University of WA and my younger son Ryan is in high school. You probably know him; he is the tall boy with the big hair that works at Kings. Their faces would brighten with a smile and say "we love that kid; he is such a nice young man."”

After the death of his dad, Ryan took great pride in maintaining the koi pond that he built with his dad. He always knew what needed to be done around our farm, because he shadowed his dad for so many years. He just picked up where John left off and did what needed to be done.

At the end of his senior year he told me he wanted to get off this island and make something of himself. Ryan had plans to move to Santa Cruz at the end of September and work with his cousin in his landscaping business. He had also wrote letters to 20 local film companies in Santa Cruz asking to become an apprentice so he could learn all aspects of the film industry. He mailed those letters the morning of September l2th. Ryan had big dreams and I know in my heart he would have made something of himself.

As I flew to Harbor View Hospital later that evening, staring at the beautiful full harvest moon I prayed to God to save my son and to John to watch over him. Later when I was at his bedside and knew I had to let him go I whispered to him "take your daddy’s hand, he is there for you, you will be together again".

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