As 12-year-old figure skater Ryan recounts the successes and setbacks of his athletic journey, he’s got one eye on the TV that’s broadcasting the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in his parents’ living room. He pauses to watch gold medal–winning U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn’s free skate performance. 

Ryan knows Amber personally. He knows a lot of Olympic figure skaters, actually. That’s because he competes for U.S. Figure Skating on the national circuit. He’s skated at U.S. Figure Skating camps and in several ice shows alongside Olympic athletes. 

Ryan has been on ice skates since he was four years old and has already built an impressive career. But it didn’t begin with figure skating. When Ryan was five, he was excelling in travel hockey, until a few years later, when an observant and supportive coach set him on a new path.  
 
“My coach kept seeing me jumping and spinning in my hockey skates. Eventually she was like, ‘You need to try on figure skates,’” said Ryan. He was resistant at first but ultimately gave in. “I finally put them on, and it was just love at first skate. So, after I finished out the hockey season, I fully transitioned to figure skating.” 

Becoming a competitive figure skater 

The transition was seamless. Ryan was good — really good. In 2024, he was the U.S. Figure Skating Excel Juvenile Plus National Champion. During the 2025-2026 season, he was a U.S. Figure Skating National Qualifying Series Regional Bronze Medalist. He also qualified to compete for the third time in the U.S. Figure Skating National Qualifying Series Eastern Sectional Finals, where he placed in the top ten. 

But amidst his wins and glory, Ryan was also dealing with personal loss. In late January 2025, on the same night he was attending his grandfather’s funeral, American Airlines flight 5342 crashed into the Potomac River after colliding with a military helicopter. Ryan’s best friend was on that flight. 

In that same week, Ryan sustained what he and his family feared could be a career-ending injury. But he didn’t fall on the ice — he fell from his bed, breaking his left collarbone (clavicle) in several places. 

Ryan was rushed to a nearby emergency department in Florida, where his family was living at the time, and was referred to a local orthopedic surgeon. The surgeon said that because Ryan was so young, he should let the fracture heal on its own, ultimately suggesting that Ryan would have to stay off the ice for a minimum of four to six months. 

Already reeling from the recent events, Ryan was devastated. “I was just so upset,” he said. “I thought, I can't be off the ice for that long.” 

A second opinion for a broken collarbone 

Feeling dismissed by the local surgeon, and in desperate need of a more comprehensive assessment, Ryan’s family decided to get a second opinion. “I was like, no, I am not putting my child through any more heartbreak,” said Ryan’s mother, Kelly. “I said, there must be another possible way that my child can have his life back.” 

Ryan and his family were already very familiar with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). It’s where Kelly had done her final clinical rotations before she became a registered respiratory therapist, and where Ryan and his brother had been treated in the past for other conditions. 

This time, they were flying to Philadelphia for Ryan's appointment with Apurva S. Shah, MD, MBA, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon within the Sports Medicine and Performance Center and Orthopedic Trauma Program, both part of CHOP’s Orthopedic Center. 

CHOP is consistently ranked among the best pediatric orthopedics programs in the nation and is well-known for expertise in working with elite athletes of all ages. The team of world-renowned orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, therapists, athletic trainers and others work together to provide complete and individualized care for every child dealing with a condition or injury affecting the bones, joints, muscles and tendons. 

A surgical repair and CHOP-guided recovery 

Invested in Ryan’s talent and aspirations, Dr. Shah determined that he would be a good candidate for surgical repair of his collarbone, despite his age. Ryan had a tough decision to make. Nervous but also willing to do anything for the chance to participate in an upcoming competition, Ryan scheduled surgery with Dr. Shah. 

One plate and seven screws later, Ryan’s recovery began. In the days following the surgery, Dr. Shah worked closely with Ryan, his family, and his coaches to formulate a plan that would get Ryan back on the ice safely. 

“Dr. Shah was so caring. It wasn’t like he did the surgery and moved on,” said Ryan’s father, Jeff. “He gave Ryan a plan for reintroducing his training. I don't know if Dr. Shah knew figure skating or if he educated himself, but we were grateful to him for becoming so well-versed in the knowledge of the sport.” 

Just 13 days following his surgery, Ryan was back in skates. He started off slowly, first with simple jumps, until he was comfortable and stable enough to tackle the more complicated ones. Ryan’s parents and coaches would even send Dr. Shah videos of new skills they were introducing to ensure they were following his recovery protocol correctly. Then, ten weeks after surgery, Dr. Shah officially cleared Ryan to participate in the showcase competition he’d had his eye on. 

Completing the comeback 

“We absolutely made the best decision,” said Kelly. “Dr. Shah didn't just save Ryan’s season; he saved his entire skating career. Ryan was still able to compete in the National Qualifying Series and won a regional bronze medal. That was his first ever. So, I mean post-surgery, to win a bronze medal at a regional competition was crazy.” 

Ryan and his family are grateful to Dr. Shah and the care team at CHOP for the outcome and comeback they were hoping for. “Everybody on Ryan’s care team takes very seriously where he is in his sport,” said Kelly. “It was really just so amazing for us to have such support from CHOP through all of this.” 

But Ryan’s journey with CHOP doesn’t end there — there’s another part to his story. 

Supporting Ryan’s health from every angle 

“Our love for CHOP actually extends beyond orthopedics,” said Kelly. In the same year of Ryan’s collarbone surgery, he was also diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), which is a chronic allergic inflammatory disease of the food pipe (esophagus), that for Ryan was causing severe symptoms of heartburn and nausea. 

After years of pain and trying different treatments recommended by his local care providers in Florida, Ryan eventually moved back to the Philadelphia area to be near family and CHOP’s world-class care. That’s when he was referred to Mark Mahon, MBBCh, BAO, a physician and researcher with the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at CHOP. He supports CHOP’s Center for Pediatric Eosinophilic Disorders, a world-leading program in research, diagnosis and the treatment of more than 1,500 children with EoE. 

Dr. Mahon ordered a biopsy, confirmed the EoE diagnosis and began a treatment plan that has kept Ryan’s symptoms under control. He can now eat pain-free — which is essential, because Ryan is busy and focused. He works hard training five days a week, spending countless hours on the ice, all in the hopes of one day taking the world stage as an Olympic athlete.