final goodbyes as pre-operation well wishes.

During an extensive 150 days in the hospital, 130 of which Ryan spent in the pediatric ICU, he used his beloved Isles as a saving grace to keep morale up - especially after watching them draft Matthew Schaefer.

 Just talking about the Islanders, watching games, it always helped me keep my mind off of the bad stuff,  said Ryan, a Rockland County native whose lifelong love for the team came from his stepdad, Wayne.

9 Ryan often used the Islanders to keep in high hopes during his lengthy ordeal. Courtesy of Tommy Ryan

When times were the darkest, and Ryan had to be placed in a five-day medically induced coma after the surgery for his infection, Wayne and other family kept him up to date on what was going on with the team while he was unconscious and afterward.

 I remember, especially when I was out of my coma, I couldn't walk for months. I couldn't talk for probably a solid month, and I couldn't eat,  Ryan said.  Everyone would just talk to me about the Isles that offseason. 

Ryan's father, Dan, reached out to the Islanders and told the franchise what his boy was going through.

The team delivered big time by having the teen's favorite player, Mat Barzal, FaceTime Ryan in his hospital bed in July 2025.

 It was just a huge, huge thing that they did for me,  Ryan said.  It took my mind off of the illness and put me in a different state of mind. 

Barzal promised a meeting in person when Ryan, who also had a tracheotomy, became healthier.

 It definitely made my day,  Ryan said.

9 Ryan's spirits were lifted by a FaceTime call with Islanders star Mat Barzal from his hospital bed in July 2025. Courtesy of Tommy Ryan

Barzy delivered on his promise last March.

He flipped Ryan a puck during warmups and then, with teammates, met him outside the locker room post-game to give the cancer fighter a signed hockey stick with the message  you inspire me! 

 I was going through some super rough times,  said Ryan, who was treated to seats on the glass and a spot in the owner's box with Jon Ledecky that night during a thrilling 1-0 win vs. the Blue Jackets.

9 Mat Barzal met with Ryan after a game last March. Courtesy of Tommy Ryan

9 Barzal gave Ryan a hockey stick with the touching message  you inspire me!  Courtesy of Tommy Ryan

 Getting my body back to normal, not being in school, it gave my mind something to look forward to. 

Ryan's been nothing but a winner in getting his life back on track - especially after he got the wonderful cancer-free news on his bone marrow scans last October.

Ryan is now enrolled at Rockland Community College and said his strength is about 70% of what it was pre-cancer.

9 Ryan got the news that he is officially cancer-free from his bone marrow scans last October. Stefano Giovannini for NY Post

9 Ryan is a year cancer-free and celebrated with his girlfriend, Emily Serfas, by going to the Isles' Thursday night game. Stefano Giovannini for NY Post

 I had to relearn how to walk. I had to relearn how to talk, got the strength back in my arms, my legs, kind of just my whole body, and worked my way up from there,  he said.

Now Ryan just has one more task for the Isles.

 I've never been to a playoff game before - and I'd love to see that this spring.