To my good friend Ryan Dunlap
(1989-2024)
I found out today that my good friend, Ryan Dunlap, had passed away unexpectedly on September 29, 2024 at the age of 34. Ryan was a really good friend and I just wanted to share some of my favorite stories I remember of him off the top of my head:
I remember the first time I met him at his parents’ Life Group with our church when I was a young teenager and he was both one of the friendliest people there in our age along with his siblings and of our youth group. It was hard making friends in a youth group when it’s around 250+ youth consistently, but despite how weird I looked back then with my long hair, I really appreciate Ryan being my friend. That first night at his parents life group, from what I remember, Ryan, his brother Dylan, David Strickland, my brothers, and myself all took turns playing Star Fox on the Nintendo 64 and it was hilarious! I was finally introduced to the Barrel Roll 👍. Whenever someone would “die” they had to hand over the controller to the next person so it was a game of survival with Fox McCloud, Falco Lombardi, Peppy Hare, and Slippy Toad.
In 2006, at Youth Camp Brigadoon, close to Montgomery, AL, one of the many “youth games” was dividing up the 250+ youth into separate teams and then have them running around the camp in the scolding hot Alabama heat to complete various “tasks” and get “points.” The extra challenge was that the team leaders had a sock full of powdered chalk that they could hit people with and get them “out” of the game. I don’t remember much of the game other than Ryan running around like a crazy man slinging his sock full of powdered chalk getting people “out” of the game while dodging other team leaders. Also, there were lots of people throwing up because of the extreme heat and Mrs. Maggie (the nurse) trying unsuccessfully (haha) to get the youth to drink more water.
Also, at Youth Camp Brigadoon, later in the week, there was a paintball game in part of the camp away from the main area. Well, I had a genius idea. I had some Camo gear that I had packed from home in anticipation of playing paintball, BUT! I wasn’t going to be taken out so quickly. At home I prepared my Camo gear with the thickest bubble wrap extra taped to the inside of it so in theory when hit with a paintball, it would just bounce off. I didn’t anticipate the heat however, but when paintball time came I was ready and didn’t mention to anyone about the bubble wrap tucked away on the inside of my clothes. The teams were divided, the game started, and just as I had anticipated, POP! POP! POP! POP! POP! Paintballs hit me both left and right and simply fell off. It was a good feeling, but I was super hot inside my long sleeve Camo jacket. Later, I found out Ryan had snuck up on the roof of where one of the guys cabins were, having brought his own paintball gun and was having a blast shooting people down below in the competition lol! Also, someone later told me he shot at me too but my bubble wrap Camo gear didn’t let anything through until almost the very end of the game. Also, Justin Reyes with his paintball gun later shot Ryan from just a few feet away for cheating causing Ryan to have what looked like multiple nipples on his body from the swelling (haha).
From what I remember in 2007, heading to a Youth Camp in Destin, FL, I think we stopped at a gas station, with like 300+ youth (everybody showed up for the beach trip) in our long line of school busses, to get some snacks and for everyone to use the restroom (which took a long time haha). Ryan purchased a can of anchovies and a quart of milk, because nothing goes better with anchovies then a nice refreshing quart of cold milk (haha). Needless to say, I’m glad that year I wasn’t on his bus 👍. That and Pastor Scott Silcox bought a banana, completely normal.
Update 11/16/2024: Early this morning, I remembered another great memory of Ryan from when our church, The Rock Family Worship Center, youth group was still called “Pulse.” I don’t remember how the trend got started or when it ended (There were a lot of quick trends that would come and go in youth) but some of the guys before Wednesday night service started challenging each other to arm wrestle and it would always draw a crowd of supporters for both sides. My brother Nathan and Ryan started arm wrestling each other before service started, and from what I remember I was watching them go at it and suddenly I was joined by a large crowd of youth surrounding their table haha. The top contenders (Not in order) from what I remember were my brother Nathan, Ryan Dunlap, Joe Valentine, Josh Grey, Steward DeVries, Pastor Scott Silcox, Pastor Adam Nelson, Jonathan Macarthur, Justin Reyes, Tim Reyes, and maybe Corey Armstrong (1990-2024). Arm wrestling competitions maybe lasted a month or two before it faded out, but I know Ryan and Joe got a lot of request from other guys they easily beat but were the type of guys to give everyone a shot at it - I think I even tried arm wrestling both but didn’t get anywhere as both were giant football players haha. Now, when the top contenders would wrestle each other it was like that saying,"What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?" Good times! Also, Ryan was so large from both working out and playing football he got the nickname in youth “Rhino” haha 👍.
There were a lot of really good times my brothers and I shared with Ryan from:
Seeing movies together at the Rave and Hollywood 18!
Serving at Manna House!
Going over to his house for Life Group!
Hanging out at his house eating pizza on the weekend!
When I got to pray with him when he worked at Subway in 2019 and give him a blessing from The Father!
Hanging out at Nathan’s first apartment over at Briargreen Apartments for smores and games!
Going to Nathan’s wedding!
And other really good times that I can’t remember right now.
Ryan and I reconnected several years back over at my brother Nathan’s guys night and Ryan was still the friendly the guy I remembered from youth group; I got to pray with both him and David as the night ended. Also, he took time to visit me as I’ve been recovering from brain cancer and that meant a lot to me. The last time I’d see Ryan was at my nephew Elijah’s 3rd birthday party where Ryan also had his son Liam and one of his nephew’s there with him and he was a really good Son, Dad, Uncle, and Friend.
But! For those who believe in Jesus as their Savior, Friend, and King over their life, this isn’t the end of the story for Ryan! I’m glad I’ll be able to see him again soon in Heaven and also in the New Jerusalem, an amazing city separate from Heaven, that Dad has prepared for those who love him! See you soon Ryan! Love you man!
Tell your friends you’re thankful for them!
For more information, please visit: https://www.berryhillfh.com/obituary/jonathan-dunlap
Blessings in Christ Jesus,
Andrew Jordan