Earlier this week I received very sad news that Ryan Kilian passed away suddenly on Monday at his home. Ryan is the author of the story in BostonLax.net about my lacrosse experiences in high school, my education, career and my current status. It is a great story, lots of nice memories of happier times.
RYAN LAWRENCE KILIAN Obituary (2021) Boston Globelegacy.com
The following poem is in honor of Ryan.
To an outstanding man whom I met through a mutual friend,
To an accomplished writer who wrote stories that would keep us in awe til the end!
To an extraordinary coach who touched and impacted so many lives,
To a dedicated reporter whose articles told no lies!
To a compassionate educator who had a crafty skill set,
To a great man who, in person, I wish we had met!
To a loving husband, a devoted father, a caring brother, and a charming son,
To a highly spoken colleague and a friend of many who made life fun!
To Ryan Kilian, my sincere gratitude and condolences go,
So that you and your family will forever know,
With great honor I am humbled to say:
“Thank you, Ryan, for writing a story about me in that way!”
Drew Smith
July 15, 2021
Living Rare 
Praying for his family🙏🙏
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Sending sincere condolences and prayers to Ryan Kilian’s Family from Drew Smith’s aunt, Carol Silva. Mr. Kilian wrote an amazing, informative and compassionate article on my nephew, Drew, for which our family was extremely moved and grateful. ❤️🙏
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Drew, I must tell you he spent hours on this article about you. He said is had to be perfect. He was in awe of your strength and determination. I work in the Pharma world and he asked me about 100 times to share your article with anyone and everyone I know to make sure we got the word out about what you have been dealing with. This poem was lovely and exactly what I needed to read this morning as I lay awake trying to make sense of this. Thank you for your love and support.
Best,
Rebekah
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