SEEING HER. REPORTER: FRIDAY MORNING, A CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL ROOM IN DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE. A YOUNG PATIENT LOOKS CONFUSED. THEN BREAKS INTO A SMILE WHEN SHE REALIZES WHAT’S HAPPENING JUST OUTSIDE HER WINDO >> WE LOVE YOU, RYAN. REPORTER: JUST 30 MINUTES AHEAD OF HER LATEST SURGERY, FRIENDS OF RYAN NEIGHBORS, WHO WAS BORN WITH SPINA BIFIDA, CROWDED ONTO THE 9TH FLOOR OF THE PARKING GARAGE AT NORTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL, THE BEST THEY COULD DO AMID COVID 19 RESTRICTIONS TO WISH HER WELL. >> IT DOES NOT TAKE A LOT AND WHAT DID WE GIVE TODAY? WE GAVE TIME. REPORTER: DEDE COX, A PREVIOUS WLKY BELL AWARD WINNER WHO WAS HONORED FOR HER WORK GRANTING DREAMS FOR CHRONICALLY ILL CHILDREN LIKE RYAN, KNEW IF THE LITTLE GIRL, WHO SHE HAS HELPED COACHED IN PAGEANTS. >> WE CANNOT WAIT TO SEE YOU. REPORTER: COULD JUST SEE THEM AND HEAR THEM THOSE FEW MINUTES COULD BE ENOUGH TO LIFT THE LITTLE GIRL’S SPIRIT >> WELL SHE IS JUST 11 YEARS OLD RYAN WAS TO BE — FRIDAY WAS TO BE HER 30TH SURGERY. IT WOULD NOT BE THE FIRST TIME THEY LED THE HOSPITAL TO WISH HER WELL. THAT IS WHY THEY CAME UP WITH THIS PLAN A FEW DAYS AGO. >> SHE GETS TO SEE US AND KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE BEHIND HER: ONE HURT TO GET WELL TO GET BACK OUT AND BE RIGHT AGAIN. REPORTER: AND WITH THE FIERCE DETERMINATION OF THIS LITTLE PAGEANT QUEEN, FRIENDS SAY THE NEXT TIME THEY’LL BE CHEERNG RYAN ON WON’T BE FROM A PARKING GARAGE, BUT A CROWDED AUDITORIUM. >> IT WILL BE OK. IT HAS TO. REPORTER: LAUREN ADAMS, W
Ahead of her 48th surgery, friends surprise young girl outside Louisville hospital window
Just 30 minutes ahead of her latest surgery, friends of a young girl born with spina bifida crowded onto the deck of a downtown Louisville parking garage to wish her well.
Friday morning, from a children’s hospital room in downtown Louisville, a young patient looked confused and then broke into a smile when she realized what was happening just outside her window.A crowd held up posters and the letters spelling out, “We Love You Ryan.”Just 30 minutes ahead of her latest surgery, friends of Ryan Neighbors, who was born with spina bifida, crowded onto the 9th floor of the parking garage at Norton Children’s Hospital to wish her well.”It doesn’t take a lot and what did we do today? We gave time. We all have time,” organizer De De Cox, a longtime family friend, said.Cox, a previous WLKY Bell Award Winner, was honored for her work granting dreams for chronically ill children like Ryan. She knew if the little girl could just see them and hear them, those few minutes could be enough to lift the little girl’s spirits.While Ryan is just 11, Friday marked her 48th surgery. It also marked the first time many of those friends couldn’t line the hallways of the hospital to wish her well.”Before she goes into surgery she gets to see us and know there’s people behind her who need her to get well and want her to get well to get back on the stage and be Ryan again,” friend Hannah Robb, also a Bell Award winner, said.And with her fierce determination, friends say the next time they’ll be cheering on Ryan won’t be from a parking garage, but a crowded auditorium.”It will be okay. It’s got to be okay,” Cox said, as she blew a kiss towards Ryan’s window.Ryan has been hospitalized for the past seven weeks but friends and family are hopeful if this surgery goes well she could be home for the holidays.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. —
Friday morning, from a children’s hospital room in downtown Louisville, a young patient looked confused and then broke into a smile when she realized what was happening just outside her window.
A crowd held up posters and the letters spelling out, “We Love You Ryan.”
Just 30 minutes ahead of her latest surgery, friends of Ryan Neighbors, who was born with spina bifida, crowded onto the 9th floor of the parking garage at Norton Children’s Hospital to wish her well.
“It doesn’t take a lot and what did we do today? We gave time. We all have time,” organizer De De Cox, a longtime family friend, said.
Cox, a previous WLKY Bell Award Winner, was honored for her work granting dreams for chronically ill children like Ryan. She knew if the little girl could just see them and hear them, those few minutes could be enough to lift the little girl’s spirits.
While Ryan is just 11, Friday marked her 48th surgery. It also marked the first time many of those friends couldn’t line the hallways of the hospital to wish her well.
“Before she goes into surgery she gets to see us and know there’s people behind her who need her to get well and want her to get well to get back on the stage and be Ryan again,” friend Hannah Robb, also a Bell Award winner, said.
And with her fierce determination, friends say the next time they’ll be cheering on Ryan won’t be from a parking garage, but a crowded auditorium.
“It will be okay. It’s got to be okay,” Cox said, as she blew a kiss towards Ryan’s window.
Ryan has been hospitalized for the past seven weeks but friends and family are hopeful if this surgery goes well she could be home for the holidays.
