WHO IS RYAN?

Growing up on the flat red clay of Oklahoma gave Ryan Davis the perspective that he could do anything in this life. 

A baseball player from a young age, Ryan grew up learning to become part of a team, a leader, and how to help people reach their goals both personally and professionally. After high school, Ryan played baseball for the University of Texas in Arlington and graduated to work in healthcare, where his love for people and seeing them succeed truly solidified. After a short, but successful advocate for healthcare in the revenue cycle management industry, he decided to go after his true calling and enlist in the United States Army. Ryan quickly became the leader of his unit, earning the title of Sergeant, with his leadership prowess evolving over the years to command elite units across several countries as a weapon squad leader. Over the next decade, Ryan was deployed five times to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. However, Ryan was not alone in his patriotic endeavors. He married the love of his life, his wife Asia, in 2012, who has been an ever-present strength and rock when he was alive, dead, and even in between.

On the night of August 15th, Ryan was tracking a high-value target. While maneuvering toward an enemy stronghold forward position, he triggered a hidden IED, which ultimately took both of his legs and right arm. The Intense battle and night evolve from there with countless stories of heroism among his squad, the 75^thRanger Regiment, and the 160 airborne division in securing the enemy position and rescuing Ryan from the exploitation that would have killed anyone lesser.

The following two years of recovery were a relentless battle full of ups and downs, both physically and emotionally, that grew him and his family together stronger in ways he thought they could never be. The first grueling 18 months of recovery was strictly in a bed, often with him lying face down for days. Asia spared no expense to make Ryan as comfortable as possible during this time, bringing Knox, their son, up as often as possible and assuring him that she was watching out for him in and out of the surgeries… A true partner never leaving his side.

In 2021 it was time to enroll at Walter Reed for a number of follow-up surgeries. During this time, the Davis family moved back to Savannah to better manage the hospital visits that were on the horizon. After a few months, with Knox starting school and Asia reestablished with her support system, Ryan embarked to Walter Reed to complete the last steps of his marathon of a recovery journey. He underwent a tremendous amount of reconstructive surgeries and spent most of 2021 in and out of the hospital while doing his best to be with his family as much as possible through it all.

2022 has affectionately been called the comeback year for the Davis family. Full of travel, love, pain, and gratitude on Ryan’s journey back to everyday life. Ryan began fishing often with his longtime friend, Jimmy Armel, and still to this day runs Jimmy’s nonprofit. The two have become great friends and are marginally famous off the shores of Georgia. They spend their time nowadays, tagging white sharks in conjunction with Starbright solutions and Grays Taxidermy through the American Fishing charters.

Asia, Knox, and Ryan currently reside in Richmond Hill, Georgia, where they are building a smart home that will enable Ryan to move, work, and train more easily around the house. The Gary Sinise Foundation has been there for Ryan from the beginning. Reassuring him that despite the many challenges every family faces, worrying about a home and a mortgage will not be one of them. 

As you are reading this paragraph, Ryan is working side-by-side with local organizations like Special Kicks and Not Lucky to impact our next generation of young men and women. Asia spends much of her time tutoring children with special needs while taking time to control her multiple sclerosis… a teacher by spirit and an American by heart.

Ryan also spends multiple days a week at his local Krav McGraw gym with Ranger buddy Joe Richard. Joe has been monumental in Ryan’s recovery, from getting him out of emotional slumps to getting him back up on top during training/recovery days to even placing him back in his chair. The two have become inseparable friends relying on each other through faith and family. 

Carson Fortner, the Owner of Pooler Karate and Krav Maga, has been a dear friend of the Davis family as well. His commitment to Ryan’s recovery directly under his oversight in many areas is exceptional, to say the least… Miracles have happened and continue to happen daily in that gym which Ryan is proof of. Carson’s commitment to Ryan’s well-being speaks of his loyalty to patriotism and God, with an unbreakable foundation between the two.

As Asia continues to impact special needs children’s futures through tutoring, Ryan is heading his nonprofit thestanderdfund.org and is ecstatic to help you on your journey, wherever that may be.