Born twelve weeks premature, Ryan was a tiny baby who spent four long months in a neonatal intensive care unit. When, by his first birthday, he had not begun walking or talking, Ryan's parents brought him to John Heinz Rehab for intensive therapy.
A year later, thanks to hard work from Ryan and help from his therapists Mary Beth Spellman and Diane Smulligan, Ryan is not just walking, but running. In sessions with speech therapist Sue Balint, he has begun to say words and imitate sounds. The word "chug-a-chug" of a train is a favorite. Like a train, Ryan had a slow start but is now progressing rapidly. With the support of his therapists and family, Ryan is succeeding.