Golisano team pulls together so Mariner grad can walk the walk
A community came together to help one Mariner High School senior meet what should have been an effortless goal: To walk across the stage and receive his diploma at graduation.
A medical emergency made it anything but easy.
“Graduating was already so special, but after recently being in the hospital with a collapsed lung, being able to walk across that stage meant even more to me. I’m grateful to everyone that worked together to make this opportunity a reality,” Ryan Hunter said.
On May 26, Ryan attended the Rotary Club Scholarship Banquet as an honoree. While there, his lung quietly collapsed – spontaneous pneumothorax.
His mother, Tamara “Joy” Hunter, a Golden Apple 2023 teacher, said they went to the hospital as a precaution, and doctors confirmed the collapse. He had a chest tube insertion to remove the trapped air, while also helping to re-inflate his lung.
A second procedure was done to clip blebs — weak spots — at the top of his lung. This was done as a prevention. Blebs can form in rapidly growing lungs and may cause air leaks, his mother said, and are more common in tall, slim young people because their body grows quickly and the lungs can develop fragile areas.
Golisano Children’s Hospital offered to transport Ryan to graduation so he could walk across the stage with his classmates before he had to continue his recovery at the hospital. During graduation, Ryan attended with a portable chest tube drainage system “proudly by his side,” Joy said.
His chest tube has been removed, and on that day, he was determined to take his final Cambridge test at Mariner High School.
Joy encourages parents to listen to their children —- if they say their chest hurts, have shortness of breath, or something feels off —- to listen, as early attention can make all the difference.
Ryan will attend the University of Florida to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine.
His accomplishments include tennis captain, tennis MVP, AAU Volleyball Regional Champion, state bowling finalist, and principal’s captain table. He was sixth in his class, an AICE Cambridge honor, Vet Tech Assistant Certified, Full Bright Futures Scholarship, and USF Merit Director’s Scholarship.
“He completes scholarships like a part-time job because he plans to complete his degree in veterinary medicine debt free,” Joy said. “The local village has truly blessed him with scholarships: Cape Coral Mayor’s 4-year scholarship, Quality Life Center, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Rotary Club, Franklin Park Elementary, Mariner Principal’s Choice, Collaboratory, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc to name a few.”
A scholarship is being established — the HunterStrong Scholarship — to support and empower young people who have overcome significant challenges with resilience, determination, and a positive mindset.