Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School celebrated the significant achievement of 1996 alumni member and neurosurgeon Dr. Robert Ryan.

Ryan, who currently works for Virginia Mason Medical Centre Neuroscience Institute in Seattle, Washington, was named the 2017 inductee into the LTCHS Hall of Fame.

“It is terrific,” Ryan said. “I feel really humbled after looking back through the legacy of all the other great inductees who have come before me. It reminds you of the foundation of the great school we have here and the commitment and dedication of the teachers that help all these students go on to succeed.”

Ryan took the time out of his schedule to fly back to Red Deer with his family and speak to the LTCHS graduating class of 2018.

He spoke about the opportunities that Lindsay Thurber afforded him, including the International Baccalaureate program which he was a part of.

“I think it is amazing that Lindsay Thurber can offer such a vast array of programs,” he said. “We also knew coming to Thurber that we were getting into a good football program. There was athletics, arts—it is amazing the breadth of things that go on here.

“I was really impressed during my school tour today seeing how that legacy has really been expanded.

“The one thing they don’t have yet is the experience that we have gone through. I’m hoping I can share a little bit of what I have gone through with them and maybe inspire them to do the things they want to do.”

Lindsay Thurber Principal Dan Lower said the incorporation of the induction ceremony into their first Grad Assembly is intended to help inspire their students.

“We are trying to motivate our kids and help them understand there is a big world beyond Lindsay Thurber,” he said.

“We want to show them the really cool things that our grads have gone on to do—like brain surgery. We are trying to appeal to all our kids and encourage them to go on to do whatever they want to do and be good citizens. That is an important thing.”

The Lindsay Thurber Hall of Fame is an open nomination process where anyone can log onto their web site and submit a potential inductee.

“If you look back on our history of over 75 years—there are a lot of people who have done some really cool things,” Lower said. “We try to ensure we honour all fields—business, sports, fine arts and everything else.”

He added, “It means something when someone travels back here with his family from Seattle for a high school ceremony and I think our kids respect that as well.”

Ryan said, “I am so grateful to see my friends, family and teachers. It is a tremendous honour.”

todd.vaughan@reddeerexpress.com

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