Ryan Fan: The Heart And Soul Of Our Team
By: Ryan Fan
Tags: Spirituality, Inspiration, Self, Sports, Philosophy

For the past year, Ryan Fan has been on a roll. Every week, a new Odyssey article appears on Facebook, usually featuring one of Ryan’s close friends. As a member of Emory’s cross country team, I’ve witnessed firsthand the positive impact that these articles have had on our team’s culture. However, this series still lacks a crucial element: a feature on Ryan himself. For his 21st birthday, we decided as a team to compile our shared experiences and memories of Ryan. Several themes that characterize him quickly emerged: a seemingly limitless amount of energy, an unmatched work ethic, and ultimately, a deep sense of selflessness. Senior Greg Litle and freshman Egan Kattenberg express the extent Ryan is integral to our team best.

“If [our team] had a mascot, it would be Ryan,” Greg said. “He genuinely cares about his teammates and has steered our group to being more accepting and compassionate. Couple that kindness with his endearing quirks and you have an unforgettable human.”

“Ryan Fan, the ultimate people person, never ceases to make someone feel welcome,” Egan said. “His openness and ability to talk are endearing and instrumental in bringing unlike people together. He is the glue that holds and keeps us together.”

My first impressions of Ryan came through Facebook posts in our team group the summer before my freshman year, when Ryan was a rising sophomore. I quickly learned one thing: that Ryan is a hard worker. He ran the most miles of anyone on the team that summer, setting himself up for a banner cross country season. However in our preseason time trial, Ryan was crippled with an injury that would leave him unable to compete for the entire semester. This meant he was forced to spend long hours cross training alone without the motivation of teammates. Ryan embraced the cross training grind, at one point being asked to leave our gym because, in his words, he “made the elliptical machine smoke.” Despite not being able to practice with us, he made perhaps the greatest effort out of anyone on our team to get to know the incoming freshmen and make us feel welcome. Members of this year’s freshman class also had a similar experience.

“Ryan was one of the first people who made a genuine impression on me, even before I arrived at Emory,” freshman Jack Whetstone said. “When I got here, I quickly realized he’s one of the most approachable guys I’ve ever met.”

Freshman Thomas Perretta agreed, saying that, “Ryan is the most genuinely welcoming person I have ever met. He made me feel like part of the team within minutes of first meeting him.”

Ryan’s cross training paid off, as he would go on to drop large PRs in the 5K and 10K during spring track and have a successful junior year cross country season. He would also impact our team in other ways, such as when he single handedly mounted an effort to save our cross country house. For years, the house had served as a place where we could gather as a team, yet few people wanted to live there for the upcoming school year. Even though nobody initially believed in him, Ryan convinced his entire class to live in the house, saving it for generations to come of Emory XC.

In addition to saving the house, Ryan also helped to create a deeper team bond. He encouraged others this past semester to share elements of their lives that they had previously kept hidden, making our team truly a family. Sophomore Bobby Wilson experienced this firsthand.

“Ryan Fan went from being injured for an entire season to dusting me in races,” Bobby said. “Ryan Fan saved the cross house despite all the nay-sayers. Ryan Fan helped me come out of the closet. Pretty much the only thing this guy can’t do is convince me to watch “The Wire.”

This brings up another feature of Ryan’s personality: his obsession with “The Wire.” Despite a general lack of interest from other teammates, Ryan persistently markets the show to anyone in earshot. When asked to share their thoughts on Ryan, more than a few made a point of this.

“Ryan helps us keep everything in perspective,” sophomore Sam Branson said. “He’s not one to obsess about individual success, but keeps his focus on the success of the team as a whole. He is one, however, to obsess about “The Wire.”

“If I could describe Ryan Fan in two words, I would have to say: abstinence & Wire,” freshman Matt Dillon said. “Ryan is the heart and soul of the cross country team, always bringing people up with his humor and undeniably crazy antics.”

Ryan’s fixation on this show, which he has repeatedly described as “life-changing,” reveals more of his character. The Wire focuses on how Baltimore’s institutions fail its poorest inner city residents. Although he is on the demanding pre-med track, Ryan has made it a priority to also study institutional failings in his time at Emory, especially in a class on unsolved civil rights-era murders. He hopes to eventually pursue an honors thesis on the subject. This, I believe, illuminates a central aspect of who Ryan is as a person. He deeply cares about other people, consistently acting with altruistic motives.

“[Ryan is] one of the most selfless guys I’ve ever met,” senior Max Brown said. “He will always say yes to a favor for a dear friend before even asking what it is.”

Ultimately, it’s impossible to encapsulate Ryan in one single article. From his 3 am study sessions, to his 12 hour WoodPec shifts, to the time he ran a personal record in the 5K during a 10K race, there are countless quirks and memories, only a small sliver of which I covered. I’m sure others have their own stories to share. However, our entire team can speak to the fact that Ryan is indispensable in shaping who we are as a group. We wish him a very happy 21st birthday, and all look forward to another great year and half of running with him.

“Ryan Fan is fearless,” freshman John Cox said. “He will do anything for his teammates, and he will never back down from a challenge, for better or worse.”