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The inspirational journey of a young man determined not to let cerebral palsy define him has been turned into a moving memoir.
Ryan Webb, 22, from Blenheim, has spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, a condition that affects every physical movement.
Together with local writer Chris Valli, the pair have created, Beyond the Chair, a celebration of Ryan’s resilience and courage.
Officially launched at Marlborough Boys’ College at the end of September, the book highlights Ryan’s determination not to be held back.
“Ryan's journey challenges us to rethink what it means to be "able" and reminds us that some of life's most powerful movements come not from our bodies, but from our hearts and spirits,” Chris explains.
“This isn't simply a story about living with cerebral palsy. It's a story about resilience, friendship, family and finding purpose.”
The hall at his former college was filled as guests attended the launch, with Ryan taking to the stage to chat with host Glen Kirby and to lead a kapa haka.
Ryan’s story reminds people that sometimes their greatest hurdles are often not physical, Chris explains.
“It's about refusing to let others decide what your life can become,” he says. “Ryan reminds us that our greatest limitations are often not physical —they're the assumptions people make about what's possible.”
In the book, Ryan’s mum Kate explains her son was born ten weeks early. She knew by the time he was six months old that something wasn’t right.
An MRI scan in Christchurch later confirmed Ryan’s brain had not developed as it should have.
“That’s when we were told about the walnut story,” she says. “When a baby is born its brain should look like a walnut, Ryan’s didn’t. It started to grow but there were nodules, something happened and it literally just stopped. Something happened at 25 weeks gestation with his brain development.”
But Ryan has always refused to let the condition hold him back.
As a huge fan of rugby, Ryan, who writes a regular column in the Blenheim Sun, has found a community and sense of identity, Chris writes in the book.
“His empathy is his passing game; his humour is his sidestep; his resilience is his defence. And every time someone looks only at the chair, they miss the way Ryan plays the full 80 minutes, heart first, every single day.
“I am deeply grateful to Ryan and his family for trusting me with his story, and to the team at Prisma Print for helping bring this important book to life.”
Ryan says he is excited to finally get his book out there and is hugely grateful to everyone that made his dream come true "My gratitude for you all is immense, I can't thank you enough.”
The book is available from Paper Plus.