Marius is from Romania, and at the young age of eight, he experienced a horrific accident.
Marius, age 7
He was sound asleep one minute, and suddenly awoke to a fire in his bedroom, and throughout the whole house.
He was blinded by flames and thick smoke.
He survived because he was able to crawl through the house and into the front yard away from the flames.
His parents, however, were not as lucky and did not survive.
Marius sustained 3rd and 4th degree burns over 75 percent of his body; he lost his nose, he lost his fingers, and he lost his family.
He was treated in Romania and placed in an orphanage while he recovered.
He had two surviving siblings who were away at the time, but neither was able to care for Marius.
While recovering in the orphanage Marius met two student nurses from the United States, these women feel in love with his infectious personality, and his courage to survive.
They decided to do something more for him and coordinated his transfer to Shriner’s Hospital in Los Angeles, California.
Since coming to the United States Marius has undergone many operations: eye reconstruction, six toe-to-finger transfers, nose reconstruction and skin grafting of the mouth.
But his healing in the United States has included more than his physical recovery.
Marius was adopted by the loving family of one of the American nurses that helped him in Romania.
Now a thriving teenager, Marius is settled into his new life and new family.
He is an excellent student, plays on the football team and is looking forward to getting his driver’s permit.
Marius is living proof of the perseverance of the human spirit.
dawn
BTW-(If this is something that you would like to support, please visit us at www.ryanshines.com or follow us on FB and IG @ryanshinesburnfoundation)
A South Dakota newspaper tells the story of firefighter Austin Whitney, 23, who is in the long and painful process of recovering from second and third burns over his body after the Coal Canyon wildfire.
Austin was trapped in the massive fire along with four fellow firefighters.
“What’s helping his recovery most,” his father said, “is the focused power of his mind.
His spirits are up and over the moon! Five days into his recovery Austin told me that this incident won’t stop him from being a firefighter. ”
“It was very hard for the family to wrap their hearts around the awful news of their son’s burning.
“A lot of emotions were streaming through my head at the time,” Robert said.
“We didn’t know how bad it was or what was going on, and it turned everything topsy- turvy. Everyone was frantic.”
Austin is following in the firefighting footsteps of his father, grandfather, aunts, and uncles.
His first season was with the “South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression Division,” a state firefighting agency.
But Austin had started fighting fires when he turned 18, joining the “Pringle Volunteer Fire Department”–the same department as his father and grandfather.
Then, he joined the “Cascade Volunteer Fire Department” the following year, and is co-captain now.
“His infusion of courage is growing in so many of us,” said Austin’s father.
“I am grateful that our lives would converge this way. What a wonderful world!”
(Thank you to Larry Kramer for his contribution to this blog).
It’s Saturday, October 13, 2001, roughly 3:00 in the pm, exactly 32 days after September 11; the horror of all horrors, my deepest rung of hell to-date. We’re on highway 83, along the Mexican border, in Texas, driving 70 miles an hour.
Out of nowhere, I hear a loud Bang!
Backfire? Bomb? My head exploding?
I notice Ron out of the corner of my eye.
He is tightening his grip on the steering wheel, trying to steer.
He loses control of the wheel. We are minus the tread on our rear tire.
Impossible!
There is no way to handle the crisis we’re in, our family’s SUV has started to skid.
Then it overturns.
We are rolling.
The car flips three or four times. We finally slide to a stop on the other side of the overpass.
That’s when our car burst into flames!
And my family and I are trapped inside.
We rescued everyone but Ryan.He died in the hellish fire.
The Recovery
We experienced all the pain there is, physically and emotionally. Light couldn’t crowbar its way into the dark night of the soul.
Did I tell you that we had two more little boys–Trenton and Colton. They were, along with Tyler, at the center of our recovery.
Moving to Alabama
We were in a fishbowl in South Texas. Most every day someone would stare, or ask about the accident.
We were known around town as the “sad family.” Alabama felt like the right place to keep moving forward.
Trenton, Colton, Tyler and Chloe
We enjoyed life on Lake Martin, homeschooling the boys for 5 years. It has been our refuge and I have done my most creative work there. It is our home and a quiet place to remember Ryan.
The boys are in school in Birmingham now, it’s where we have found community. It is also the place where we connect with pediatric burn survivors and firefighters.
My Blog
I’ve been through hell and back and I’ve wondered if there is a way I can offer what I’ve learned over these 16 years. I began writing down my feelings, and thoughts.
Suddenly I realized that I had all the makings of a blog. I publish my blog every week on Thursday.
It provides a way to help myself as I map my journey; but more than that, it gives me the opportunity to help others in their struggles.
Our Epic Trip
One of our sons suggested that we take a long learning vacation.
Everybody agreed. We spent almost every evening dreaming and talking about where and when. We decided to take a trip around the world.
Me, Tyler, Ron, Colton and Trenton in France
I had been home-schooling the boys anyway, and this would be an epic field trip. We made a list of the countries each of us wanted to visit, and everyone prepared reports on their countries.
Hirn family in China
The trip was beautiful and challenging. We were all together. We were laminated.
The Camping Connection
We knew we wanted to establish a Pediatric Burn Camp to honor Ryan, and while we were exploring our options we discovered that firefighters created and ran burn camps around the country.
They invested heart and soul into the camps and the children! That grew into a partnership between our burn foundation (RyanShines) and firefighters.
Firefighters
We needed chaperones for our first fishing event (“Catching Courage”).
Guess who stepped into the spotlight?
FIREFIGHTERS!
They didn’t need a lot of instruction.
They are “the naturals.”
Their way with our burn kids is enveloped in respect and genuine friendship.
Picture it: two heroes sitting together ‘sharing with understanding.’
RyanShines Burn Foundation
I love the sound of these two words that are hooked together like a train: RyanShines!
It is named for Ryan, of course.
“Ryan Shines” mosaic in Children’s Pavilion of IMAS, McAllen, TX
But it comes from a work of art at the International Museum of Art and Science in McAllen, TX.
It is a twenty-foot mosaic and the designer dedicated it to Ryan.
The mosaic is called “Ryan Shines.”
Out of that holy name came every good Gift that shines on the children and firefighters.
Our mission is that “no burned child be left behind, and no firefighter will be forgotten.”
Islamorada
Every year we take pediatric burn survivors and firefighters to Islamorada in the Florida keys.
Catching Courage Keys Edition
The first year we took 7 firefighters and 6 burn survivors. This year, our 3rd, we are taking 40 firefighters and 10 burn survivors, from 6 states.
Peer Support Team for Firefighters
We realized that our firefighters are first to a fire. They rescue children, adults, and pets.
But who rescues the firefighters? Who stands beside them? Firefighters undergo injuries, grief, risk, fear, and death. Alabama is #2 in suicides over work-related deaths in the United States.
Ryan Shines is a proud partner in our state’s first Alabama Firefighter Peer Support team(ALFFPS). We are talking about ‘healing by listening,’ and putting them together with their peer-brothers who understand what really goes on in the body, soul, and life of a firefighter.
“Catching Courage” Events
These outdoor events consist of fishing, hunting, kayaking, snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, and any team-building with pediatric burn survivors and firefighters.
This year we hosted our first Catching Courage Family Camp.
They are all designed to create healing, developing bonds between the participants, and building lasting relationships.
Our 5-year Plan
The future is as unlimited as the horizon. Here’s what we see ahead…
Organizing 4 Catching Courage events per year in each of the 50 states.
Taking a team of 4 firefighters from each state, each year to our Catching Courage event in the Keys.
Creating a statewide Firefighter Peer Support Team in every state that needs one.
Growing burn children into good, honest, productive and confident citizens.
( First, I’ve gotta tell you that I’m finding so much joy in my Journey with you).
However we have failed ourselves and those we care about; wherever our fears have knocked us to our knees; whatever searing loss has tempted us to give up on our dreams, our story doesn’t end there!
It’s time to leave 2019 and move into the New Year.
It’s time to leave what’s past and embrace what’s possible.
Every ending brings a new beginning.
As we are making our way into our new beginning, we are constructing a world where people make room for each other, provide for each other, and take care of each other.
A world where people refuse to judge a child by her scars.
This is our 20/20 vision at Ryan Shines, even if that’s not the world we live in.
We live in a world where terrible things happen, and not just to other people.
We have had our share of tragic accidents, and dreaded diagnoses.
The question is: “how will we respond when these things happen to us?”
By facing what’s terrible in our lives and our world, we create the possibility that something beautiful will emerge in its wake.
Catching Courage Keys Edition
What’s terrible doesn’t have the final word.
As long as we are alive, something always happens next. And if we work for it, ‘the something that happens next’ can be beautiful.
Why don’t you join us?
It’s never too late to embrace our Vision.
dawn
BTW-(If this is something that you would like to support, please visit us at www.ryanshines.com or follow us on FB and IG @ryanshinesburnfoundation)
It’s a strange moment in the Christmas jingle when they sit by the fire in winter and dream of facing the future without fear.
We sit together this week, basking in the soft glow of candlelight, our hearts warmed by old, old stories and familiar faces.
It’s easy to think that the Christmas Season is mostly about the size and temperature of the stable, the wisdom of the three kings, about Mary’s hope, the innkeeper’s hospitality, the songs of angels, and the birth of the child.
The main characters of the Story wrestle with a lot of fear, even terror.
It’s true about every one of us.
We read about Mary’s anxiety, Joseph’s fear of marriage, the shepherds’ fright over the angel-choir, King Herod’s anger, the wise men’s terror of King Herod’s wrath.
Every scene in the Story moves between fascination and fear, between terror and wonder.
There is no emotion in this Story that we haven’t felt.
The question posed to each character, and to each of us is this: “will we, at this crucial moment in our lives, be frozen in our fear, or lured on by the “Wonder of the star?”
Dawn, Lovely & Kaleigh
We at RyanShines are committed to riding the emotional roller-coaster with our dear burn survivors and firefighters.
We stand by our purpose that “no burn child will be left behind and no Firefighter is forgotten.”
Happy Holidays to everyone, from Ron, Dawn, Tyler, Trenton, Colton & (angel Ryan) Hirn
dawn
Ryan & Tyler 2000Trenton, Colton, Tyler & Chloe ’10
As I look back over the past year, I am thankful for the joy that has unexpectedly found me in growing RyanShines (our pediatric burn survivors and firefighters foundation).
Catching Courage Salt 2019
It was like a bounty of unlooked-for treasures.
I like to call it “A Year of Heroes with a Thousand Faces!”
Montgomery Fire Dptmt & Ryan Shines
What’s made the year different for me is that I have found a way through the sizable barrier separating me and firefighters.
I mean, who understands firefighters except firefighters?
Some favorite firefighters at RSA tower stair climb
But that was not what I was trying to do.
I was working hard to build “trust” between us so that RyanShines could make a positive difference in their lives.
This was my hope, and I’m seeing it grow at little and large fire stations.
I am thankful for their generous open-heartedness, and their willingness to live in a world of death and life to rescue others.
I am thankful that every day and night they risk their lives for strangers.
Bottom line…I am Thankful.
I am thankful for our pediatric burn survivors.
Brantson, Cory and James Catching Courage Salt ’19
I am thankful for the bond that we have forged.
Lovely, Kaleigh and me
I am inspired by their raw courage, the way they carry themselves, and the way they let us carry them.
Finally, I am thankful for you, dear readers, for the ways that you encourage us and keep us warm in your prayers.
Lovely @catchingcourage salt ’19
Thank you for keeping us focused on our mission that “no pediatric burn survivor be left behind and no firefighter be forgotten.”
Meet Brad, a burn-surviving firefighter, and our hero.
Brad
He has been with the Birmingham Fire Department for 15 years.
In November 2011, the Company was sitting around the Fire Station when the call came.
“It was a one-story fire in the back-right section of the house.
We were first at the scene.
The fire had blown-out the back windows.
The front door was locked so we forced it.
We were blinded by the soupy black smoke.
We couldn’t see any fire so we pushed on.
We were hit in the face by a severe change in temperature.
The only thing stronger than the smoke was our Officer screaming: ‘GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!’
Then, everything went from black to bright orange.”
Brad had lost his bearings and he was on fire!
His pain multiplied to the nth degree!
He decided if he was going to get out, he’d have to stand-up and walk-out.
Suddenly, he saw a bright burning orange force and knew it was a window.
“I shattered it with my arm.”
When he rolled out into the front yard and still-on-fire, two brother-firefighters extinguished him.
Brad was transported to the Burn Center, where he was treated for weeks for his 25% burns, surgeries, and rehab.
I’ve told you everything he told me, but I haven’t come to the point.
The real message is this: Brad went back!
Knowing what could happen again, Brad re-established himself in the line of fire.
I suppose it’s a bit like when your house on the banks of the river floods, and you respond by rebuilding on the same land because it is where you were planted.
It is bedrock.
Your touchstone!
Brad-Catching Courage ’18
What we’re still seeing from Brad is a Primal Courage written across his heart in indelible ink!
dawn
BTW-(If this is something that you would like to support, please visit us at www.ryanshines.com or follow us on FB and IG @ryanshinesburnfoundation)
His parents, however, were not as lucky and did not survive. 
While recovering in the orphanage Marius met two student nurses from the United States, these women feel in love with his infectious personality, and his courage to survive. 
Dawn Raymond Hirn 