Meet my friend Dana’s brother, Ryan.  The fact that he’s alive is a testament to not only Ryan’s unbelievable will and strength, but also to the bottomless well of love and support from his family and friends.  Of course it’s really much more than that—but words don’t always lend themselves to describing such miracles.

On Jan. 12, 2009, Ryan—an avid cyclist—was riding along a major street in Las Vegas (where he lives), when the side-view mirror of a truck clipped him on the back of the head.  While it was a tragic accident—everything changed in an instant.

After sustaining such a traumatic brain injury, Ryan’s had to learn all over again how to talk, walk and do pretty much all the things we take for granted doing on a daily basis.  It’s the kind of thing that would make many people crumble inside themselves or simply give up.

But Ryan doesn’t roll that way.  And neither do his family and friends.  If anything, this experience seems to have deepened their love and galvanized them into action—as evidenced by the passage of a new law that will make the roads safer for other cyclists.