Everything happens for a reason.
Ryan Miller lives by that philosophy – a 19-year-old who defines himself by his abilities, experiences, hopes and dreams, rather than by the cerebral palsy that he has dealt with since birth.
Ryan is currently a freshman at Southeast Missouri State University, majoring in education. He plans to teach middle school English and history.
He also works as a self-advocate for the Missouri Department of Mental Health, assisting with abuse and neglect cases, and those involving human rights issues. He admits he still has a lot to learn about his new position, but he is enjoying this opportunity to help others.
Ryan spends 19 hours per week at his job while keeping up with four college classes. “I’ve definitely got a plateful, but it has been a good experience thus far.” He is also studying for SEMO’s test to qualify for the university’s teaching program.
He said his job at the Missouri Department of Mental Health is where he believes he needs to be right now – he is able to use his life experiences to help others – but Ryan still plans to follow his heart into teaching.
As a member of Fellowship of Christian Students in high school, he had the chance to interact with middle school students each week. After observing the group, one of Ryan’s teachers told him he seemed to have a special way with the students of middle school age.
She told him, “Kids these days need all the positive influence they can get,” knowing that Ryan would be an excellent role model for his students.
Ryan, who had originally planned to teach at the high school level, did some thinking and soul searching, and ended up deciding to give middle school a try.
His goals don’t stop with teaching. He plans to move to Maine to start his career and take advantage of the simple, quaint lifestyle. He dreams of owning a boat to take out in the summer.
He knows it will be difficult to leave home, but he is also 100-percent confidant that he will have no trouble not only living on his own, but living hundreds of miles away. Ryan said his parents know, too, that he is fully capable, but of course there’s still the “parent factor,” as Ryan put it.
Most of the time, Ryan uses a wheelchair to get around. When he is at home or walking short distances, he uses canes. He drives himself in a truck with a wheelchair lift, and he plans to have electric tires put on his wheelchair to make it easier to propel himself up hills and on difficult terrain.
Vocational Rehabilitation paid for the lift in his truck and purchased his laptop, and the agency will pay for the special wheelchair tires. Ryan said his contract with Voc Rehab states that he must attend college, maintain a certain grade-point average and graduate with a degree.
He currently attends SEMO’s satellite campus in Sikeston, because it is more accessible than the main campus in Cape Girardeau. However, he will move to the main campus for his last two years of college.
Ryan earned a number of scholarships to help him get to college, including SEMO’s Presidential Scholarship, a Teachers of America award, a memorial scholarship and other local awards.
Ryan attributes a portion of his success thus far to a good friend who is two years older and also has cerebral palsy. He said there was a time when he was distressed and discouraged about living with the disability.
“As a kid, I really didn’t know how to deal with the CP factor of my life, and fit in with the fabric of society,” Ryan said. “I used to be afraid to venture out of my comfort zone, and afraid of what people thought of me.” He said this friend made him see that you can’t let CP – or any disability or difference – define who you are.
“That’s really how I look at my life now. CP is a part of me – it does limit me on certain things I do – but on the things I’m able to do, it just makes me work that much harder.”
He said his friend never “sugar-coated” any aspect of life, and he served as a sort of crystal ball for Ryan, showing him all of the possibilities that await. The friend obtained his college degree in music and is currently living on his own in Florida.
Ryan has developed a determination in life that showed while he was learning to drive. He started out using hand controls, and while taking driving lessons was told by an instructor that he’d never drive on his own. He worked hard, however, and obtained his driver’s license just before his 18th birthday. He uses his feet on the pedals, rather than the hand controls, but he does have a hand brake should it be necessary. He uses that as an example of how his life experiences can help others. “I can tell people that if I can drive, anyone can drive,” Ryan said.
His parents and 15-year-old sister have served as inspiration for Ryan, as well. “They’ve been there for me since day one, and have seen me at my best and at my worst. They’ve always encouraged me and told me to go against the grain.”
Ryan also credits his grandparents, teachers and friends for helping him get to where he is today – and he knows they will all continue to support him in his endeavors.
Ryan credits Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis for much of his physical well being throughout childhood, which translated into emotional well being for himself and his family. Ryan has received numerous pieces of medical equipment from Variety, and he has also participated in Variety events and photo shoots. A story he still likes to tell his friends is about the time he met the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders at the Variety Telethon.
Ryan said he takes every opportunity he has to recommend Variety to other people, because he knows it is a “beacon” of hope for people with disabilities.
Through the good times and the not-so-good, Ryan’s outlet has always been writing. He is interested in teaching history, as well, but he calls English his “niche,” and is proud of the awards he has won for writing.
He said his writing goes through phases – he’ll write poetry for awhile, and then move on to writing about history. Ryan enjoys writing about his ideals, and he said that no matter what, “I always try to tie my own experiences into whatever I’m writing.”
His life experiences have molded Ryan into the confident, energetic young man he is today, and there is no doubt that he will inspire generations of middle school students to handle life’s challenges – and the good times – with dignity, a positive attitude and a bit of humor.