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“I wish to have a Taylor guitar”
Ryan, age 17
Wish Adopted by: Taylor Guitars
Ryan is never happier than with a guitar in hand. With grace and courage, Ryan made it through a very tough year that included open heart surgery for a heart defect he’s had since birth. Doctors had first operated on Ryan at just 11 months old. As he grew up, Ryan and his family never thought about another surgery, but now 16 years later, doctors were warning it was urgent.
Ryan’s surgery was complicated and the recovery was painful. Throughout this time, Ryan was always able to turn to music. “It’s almost an escape. You can express yourself in ways you can’t always do with words,” Ryan says. Given the role of music in his life, it wasn’t difficult for Ryan to choose his wish for a new Taylor guitar!
On Ryan’s wish day, a limo took him and his family and friends to the El Cajon factory where the Taylor Guitars are made. Owner Bob Taylor, who built the first guitars bearing his name, gave Ryan a personal tour that exceeded every expectation, and sent Ryan home with a brand new Taylor 814, the guitar he had been dreaming of.
These days, you’ll find Ryan singing and strumming his guitar, sometimes at home and often with a band at church. For Ryan, the Taylor Guitar is much more than the music it can make, it’s also a means to bring other wishes to life. “My wish for a guitar was to get a gift that keeps on giving,” says Ryan, “With my guitar, I can play it and give other people the gift of joy and music.”