The Adventure Begins
Ryan’s sudden loss left a profound and unimaginable emptiness in our lives. Being out in the world without her was incredibly difficult. Being home, surround by her things and everything that reminded us of her, was where we felt the most comfort and peace. A few months after her passing, I had to take my first business trip away from home. Knowing how hard it would be for me to leave, Bruce secretly tucked a small Ryan’s MINI into my luggage so I could have a little piece of her with me.
On the final day of my trip, I took a quick excursion to the Hoover Dam with my colleagues. As I stood there taking in the incredible view, I couldn’t help but think about Ryan and all the moments like this she would miss. There was still so much of the world she would never have the chance to see, so many places she would never visit, and so many experiences we had imagined sharing with her. I remember wondering how, as a family, we were supposed to keep experiencing these moments without her by our side. How could we see new places, have new adventures, and enjoy the beauty of the world when she wasn’t there to experience it with us?
Just then, I remembered the little red MINI tucked away in my purse. I pulled it out, placed it on the edge of the dam, and took a photo. In that moment, I thought maybe this was a way to always carry a little bit of Ryan with us—a way for her to experience the world alongside us, to be part of the adventures still ahead, and to remind us that she was always there.
That simple photograph at Hoover Dam became the beginning of something we never could have imagined.
When I came home, I told Bruce about taking the photo and the emotions behind it—thinking about how much Ryan would miss. Then I told him I had an idea.
Ryan’s MINI could keep traveling. We could take photos of it on our own adventures, and our family and friends could take Ryan along on theirs. Each new photo could be another little reminder that she was still very much a part of our lives and the experiences we shared.
I could create a website where all of those photographs could live together—a place to follow Ryan’s MINI wherever it went. It would give us a way to collect these special moments and see where the little red MINI—and Ryan—would go next.
On the first anniversary of Ryan’s passing, we launched Ryan’s MINI Adventure and shared it with our family and friends. What began with one little red MINI and a single photograph at Hoover Dam was becoming something much bigger.
