Ryan Devrou

Penny's (Mom) Tribute:

My son Ryan, your brother, an uncle or a cousin, a family member, a best friend or friend; whom ever Ryan was to you, he is and always will be extremely missed. As his mother I would gladly given up my life for his. There are times I can hardly breath, stand or even talk. I so wish it were different, but know you just can’t wish this away. Ryan came into this world fast, less than an hour to make his entrance. I guess some people can rush through life faster than others. He was such a happy child, laughing and grinning. Ryan always wanted to take care of his sisters, although many times they landed in some sort of a crazy situation. Ryan loved his family, and so many people. Gatherings were such an important part of his life, and we have many happy memories together. Ryan loved the beach, always in sunglasses and a cap. Our family has so many wonderful memories vacating at Disney, Dayton Beach, lake Michigan and then here at lake Grapevine. Ryan talked frequently of going to heaven, and how he had planned to ask so many of life’s questions. I would always answer, “I don’t think it works that way Ry”.

No mother should Out-live her Child, Our bodies were once one, he lives in my soul. Ryan will never really be gone…. Heaven knows our sorrow, the tears, and the loss.

As his mother I will never forget him, or the sound of his voice, not ever not even for one moment. My Heart has been ripped out, there is such a deep ache, time feels like its in slow motion. I just don’t understand, I’m numb, my throat feels as if I have swallowed glass. Grief overcomes me. I realize I don’t have to get over this, I just need to get through each day. I understand it won’t get better, it just becomes different. Everyday Grief puts on a new face as my grief will not expire.

I Love you Ryan with all my heart, and look forward to rejoicing with you one day with our Heavenly Father.
Your Loving Mom, today and forever!

Amanda's Tribute:

This is indeed a very sad day for us all. We have lost such a great person who I know meant something to each and every one of you here. Ryan was a kind man with a beautiful, contagious smile. Although his time with us was so short, he made a lasting impression on everyone he met. As I began to reach out for the right words to express my thoughts about my brother Ryan, I remembered the many valued and meaningful roles he played throughout his life. First and foremost I see him as a family man. He loved his family profoundly, he was a loving son, brother, grandson, uncle and friend. My brother loved family with all his heart and looked forward to gatherings for any occasion. He was the happiest when he was surrounded by his family-even during those inevitable tough times.

There are so many wonderful memories of our time together that it is hard to limit my words for this. As I look out at the faces here today, I see many family members and friends and I know you will miss the friendship Ryan brought into your lives. I’m sure you will all remember him in your own special way and have memories of times when Ryan made you laugh; I hope to one day hear them all as we continue to remember him and his life.

Growing up with him was always an adventure. He was my first friend who I looked up to for everything. He would get so mad at me when we would get ice cream and I would order the same kind as him, he would change his order and I would change mine just as quickly back to what he was having. We would spend our summer days riding our bikes and roller skates and our evenings playing war games around the neighborhood. The joy in his eyes when he received his first BB gun is something I will never forget and the confidence he had when he found 2 lizards, opened their mouths and clipped them to my ears and said, “Stand against that fence I will shoot them off!” That is the same confidence that followed him into his adulthood. He put 100% into everything he did, whether it be his job, his apartment, or his relationships with others. His last job at William-Sonoma was one he absolutely loved. He made many wonderful friends there, earned employee of the month and was able to do what he did best, talk to people all day long! He was a head-strong adventurous man with so much future ahead of him.

While my heart is deeply grieved that I could not spend more time with him, I know that every moment we had together was a gift. We will always remember you, you hold a special place in all our hearts. Today as the sun shines, I picture his sweet, smiling face among the angels enjoying time at the beach, and take comfort knowing that one day we will all see him again. Don’t stop sharing his stories, looking through his pictures and remembering the fun times we all had with him. I want to remind us all to remember to smile that contagious smile of his and laugh-have fun every day, enjoy our lives all the time because we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow. We love you Ryan and want to thank you all for being here to celebrating Ryan's life.

Allie's Tribute:

Friends, loved ones, and family –

It is an honor and privilege for me to pay tribute today to one of the most special people in my life, my brother Ryan DeVrou. As I try to find the right words to express my thoughts about my brother, I’d like to start by saying that he was simply remarkable in so many ways. He lived his life to the fullest and touched so many people during his time here with us. He was at his happiest when he was surrounded by his family and loved ones, even during those inevitable tough times that life has a way of throwing at you.
I learned early on that my larger than life brother was invincible, at least to me he was. I looked up to him because he could do anything, perform any task thrown at him, and come out grinning. He was not only my brother, he was my best friend. We shared one of the most special bonds I’ve ever experienced in my life. God truly blessed us with a strong connection and words will never be able to express what we had. He brought myself and many others more strength, friendship, and confidence to do anything in this world. I know many of you have similar stories, feelings, and laughs that occurred between yourself and Ryan. He touched so many lives and always brought that contagious smile!
I know that it will be very difficult for my family and me going forward without Ryan in our lives. However, I also know that my brother would not want us to be overwhelmed with sadness in any way. He was a very strong, positive individual who would always look for the best in any situation. He would want us to do the same.
I can picture him now, trying out his new angel wings, filled with joy, waiting for us until we meet again.
Let’s remember Ryan for all of his great qualities and appreciate the time we spent with him. Let’s make sure that his memory lives on in all of us for as long as we live.

Sincerely,
Alexandra Brackett

Christopher’s Tribute:

I’ve lost my best friend. Perhaps that’s the best way to put it, for whatever Ryan meant to me and the relationship we shared he was above all my very best friend. How do you replace the companionship built over 14 years? It’s the little things you miss in the end. I miss the mindless chatter over years and years of lunch and dinner dates. I miss the text messages with funny stories and photos that would no doubt cheer up a dreary day. I miss his hearty laugh, toothy-grin and those sparkling-smiling eyes and that big hug that meant it was all going to be OK. Only, I didn’t get a one last time hug. Or, maybe I did? Never let a moment pass that you don’t let a loved one know how much they mean to you for you never know God’s plan.

We were both so young when our paths crossed that night in 2002. What began as a friendship would lead to Ryan working alongside me as I built my retail store, Aneita Fern. I couldn’t have done it without him. Ryan and I had very fond memories of working together and then shed some tears as I decided to close it. Ryan was there with me as I had to make the painful decision to put one and then two cats of mine to sleep as they grew sicker. Again, more tears. On the bright side, Ryan and I raised two cats of our own. We enjoyed decorating many Christmas trees with our special ornaments. Ryan loved home-cooking and I was glad to set the table for many memorable meals. As the years ticked by, there were joyful tears, too, as Ryan bought a new car, set up an apartment he would describe as “Pimp” which meant “really nice” and just last year got a new job that he excelled in. And now ultimately, more tears at the loss of a great man, my best friend, Ryan. As Anthony Hopkins said portraying author C.S. Lewis in the movie “The Shadowlands:” “Why love if losing hurts so much? I have no answers anymore; only the life I have lived. The pain now is part of the happiness then. That’s the deal.”