I'm writing this as a proud sister asking for help for my brother, Ryan Griffin (36). Many of you know Ryan; he's a Firefighter/EMT with Standish Fire & EMS, and he lives right here in Standish, Maine.

Ever since he was young, Ryan dreamed of being a firefighter. It wasn't just a job to him; it was his calling. He truly loves what he does and takes pride in serving and protecting his community.

On October 22nd, Ryan underwent open-heart surgery to repair a bicuspid aortic valve and repair an aneurysm in his ascending aorta and aortic root. It was a long, complex, full-day procedure, and while the surgery went well, his recovery will take time. Doctors expect 4 months or more before he can return to work.

As you can imagine, being out of work that long is tough, especially for someone who's always been the one helping others. Even with short-term disability, it barely covers the bills, and with the holidays approaching, Ryan is worried about keeping up and making sure his two kids, Hunter and Aubrianna, and his fiancé, Arianna, still have a Christmas to look forward to.

Ryan has always been the type to give back. Beyond his work in fire and EMS, he also founded The Open Ice Foundation, a community effort focused on helping Maine youth afford hockey, giving kids a chance to play, belong, and find purpose through the game he loves so much. That's just who he is—always giving, never asking for anything in return.

Now, it's our turn to be there for him.

We're asking for help to ease the financial strain while he recovers, to cover living expenses, bills, and take the pressure off during the holiday season so he can focus on healing.

Any amount, no matter how small, makes a difference and means so much to our family. Even just sharing this page helps more than you know.

From one friend to another, from one neighbor to another, thank you. Your support gives Ryan the chance to heal and return to doing what he loves: serving his community and helping others.

With love and gratitude,

Ryan's Sister Erika