Ryan's story

In memory of Ryan Patrick Halligan 1989 - 2003

Assemblies

         Contact Information | Schedule                                              

My presentation is most age appropriate for grades 6 and higher. It's not just for middle school students. High school students are very moved by this story too.

News Articles

References/Feedback

"Thank You Mr. Halligan" posted on youtube by a student

Note for schools in NY: I am approved in the Broome-Tioga County, Suffolk County, Nassau County and Washington, Saratoga,Warren, Hamilton and Essex County, Dutchess County BOCES Arts-In-Ed program under Story Telling. Contact your BOCES Arts-In-Ed program director for more details.

Walmart - schools have been successful in securing funding support through Walmart's Community Program.  Contact your local Walmart store manager and learn more about the program by clicking here.

How This Started

Thanks to the encouragement by Judy Breitmeyer, at the time a guidance counselor from Mount Mansfield Union High School in Jericho, Vermont, I started giving school assembly speeches for students and presentations for parents since the early part of 2005. Mount Mansfield Union High School invited me that spring to be the key note speaker for their "Respect Day” because I was the father who got the bully prevention law passed in Vermont the prior year. I wasn’t sure exactly what to say to these students. I ended up just telling them Ryan's life story.

The response was overwhelming. Eyes welled up with tears as I spoke and looked around the auditorium. And when I paused between sentences, you could have heard a pin drop. When it was over, they gave me a standing ovation and several students came up and gave me a hug. I had never experienced anything like this before and sensed something good happened that morning. I continue to receive e-mails months and years later from students from this school and every other school I've been to since then. Most tell me that Ryan's story changed their life for the better. Many confessed they were the bully and have since apologized to their victims and changed their behavior for the better. Understanding now how truly loved they are by family and friends, many students confided in me that they gained the courage and strength to get help for a friend or for themselves for depression and/or suicide ideation .

The following is an e-mail I received 6 months after the very first assembly presentation I gave in 2005:

Mr. Halligan, I was a senior at Mt.Mansfield union high school last year, you came to our school and delivered a speech about your son Ryan. First let me say thank you for coming. I know it wasn't easy for you to be there. And secondly I just wanted to let you know how you affected me. Right after you showed the video on Ryan I was in tears, and when I heard and could feel how much pain you were in just by your voice in remembering those events really touched me on a level that’s hard to describe. Now that I am a freshman in college I find that having heard you speak to my school that day really helped me to be able to face the level of immaturity that I faced coming here. Your speech was just so motivational I know it's probably not the way you intended it but it just made me want to be a better person. I had picked on kids, after that speech I went to the few that I had and broke down apologizing to them. After that day I decided I was going to befriend anyone that wanted to befriend me and I wasn't going to be discriminatory towards them. I find thinking this way has made my transition here so much easier. I just wanted to send you my thanks and tell you my appreciation.

Here is a recent email:

Dear Mr.Halligan,
You came to my school over a month ago and still to this day i think about the story you told us. I am deeply sorry about Ryan and my blessing to you and your family. Before you came to my school i though about suicide but after hearing your story i felt very different. I started talking about my feelings more to my friends and getting things off my chest after doing that i feel better and i actually laugh now and smile a real smile not a fake one. I have to admit a couple times in the past month i've been thinking about it again but all i have to do is come to your site and read the story and then i feel the same way i felt that day you came to my school. Honestly your son is a life saver for me and im sure for many other teens who have thought about suicide. I never even met Ryan but he has saved my life more than once. I just want to thank you and your family for sharing this story to teens it honestly means a lot.
Thank you and god bless you

The hole in our hearts has been filled by the thousands of thoughtful letters and guest book messages we have received from so many caring young people. They also helped us gain a better understanding of what went wrong in Ryan's life and what it is like to be a teenager in today's world ... one far different than thirty years ago. These school assembly experiences have demonstrated to me that this generation is far more thoughtful, compassionate and spiritual than one might assume with all of the materialistic distractions in their lives.

Schools visited

2009-2010

  • Danville Schools, Danville, KY Aug 18
  • Maquoketa HS, Maquoketa,IA Aug 20
  • Fayston School, Fayston, VT Aug 24
  • Henry County Schools, KY Aug 26
  • Gallatin County Schools, KY Aug 27
  • Sidney HS, Sidney, MT Aug 31
  • Beaty-Warren Middle School, Warren, PA Sep 2
  • Eisenhower Middle School, Russell, PA Sep 2
  • Youngsville Elementary / Middle School Youngsville, PA Sep 3
  • Sheffield Area Middle / High School, Sheffield, PA Sep 3
  • Canaan Schools , Canaan, VT Sep 8
  • Stroudsburg Intermediate School, Stroudsburg, PA Sep 9
  • Stroudsburg Junior High School, Stroudsburg, PA Sep 9
  • Stroudsburg High School, Stroudsburg, PA Sep 10
  • Keith Valley Middle School, Horsham, PA Sep 11
  • Fort Chiswell Middle School, Max Meadows, VA Sep 14
  • George Wythe High School, Wytheville, VA Sep 14
  • Robert E. Lee High School, Staunton, VA Sep 15
  • St. Louis Charter School, St. Louis, MO Sep 16
  • Ipswich Middle School, Ipswich, MA Sep 17
  • Ipswich High School, Ipswich, MA Sep 17
  • Miles River Middle and High School, Wenham, MA Sep 18
  • Prairie Junior High, Alsip, IL Sep 22
  • St. Viator, Arlington Heights, IL Sep 23
  • Beecher Middle and High School, Beecher, IL Sep 24
  • Windsor Middle School, Windsor, NY Sep 28
  • Hingham Middle School, Hingham, MA Sep 29
  • Hingham High School, Hingham, MA Sep 30
  • University School of Milwaukee, WI Oct 1
  • Mealy Mountain Collegiate, Happy Valley - Goose Bay, NL, Canada Oct 5
  • Bakersfield Middle School, Bakersfield, VT Oct 8
  • Kentucky Center for School Safety Conference, Louisville, KY Oct 12
  • Bucks County Technical HS, Fairless, PA Oct 13
  • Glen Ridge HS, Glenridge, NJ Oct 14
  • Verona High School, Verona, NJ Oct 15
  • Maple Avenue School, Saratoga, NY Oct 16
  • Owen J Roberts Middle School and High School, Pottstown, PA Oct 19
  • Linden Ave Middle School and Redhook HS, Redhook, NY Oct 20
  • Central Middle School, Rutland, MA Oct 21
  • Mountview Middle School, Holden, MA Oct 22
  • Baldwin Middle School, Baldwin, NY Oct 23
  • Myers Corner School, Wappingers Falls, NY Oct 26
  • Kinry Rd School, Poughkeepsie, NY Oct 26
  • James Evans School, Wappingers Falls, NY Oct 27
  • Roy C Ketcham HS, Wappingers Falls, NY Oct 27
  • Lagrange Middle School, Lagrange, NY Oct 28
  • Unionvale Middle School, Unionvale, NY Oct 29
  • Bulkeley Middle School, Rhinebeck, NY Nov 2
  • Sunset Ridge School, Northfield, IL Nov 3
  • Carroll County High School, Hillsville, VA Nov 5
  • Capt Hale Middle School, Coventry, CT Nov 9
  • Mater Dei High School, New Monmouth, NJ Nov 10
  • Sparta Middle School, Sparta, NJ Nov 11
  • Whitehall-Coplay Middle School and High School, Whitehall, PA Nov 12 and Nov 13
  • Eric Smith Middle School, Ramsey, NJ Nov 16
  • Chatham Middle School, Chatham, NJ Nov 17
  • Somerville Middle School , Somerville, NJ Nov 18
  • Branchburg Central Middle School, Branchburg, NJ Nov 18
  • Anthony Wayne Middle School, Wayne, NJ Nov 19
  • George Washington Middle School, Wayne, NJ Nov 19
  • Franklin Avenue Middle School, Franklin Lakes, NJ Nov 20
  • Pocono Mountain Middle School, Mount Pocono, PA Nov 23
  • Pocono Mountain High School, Mount Pocono, PA Nov 24
  • Little Falls Middle School #1 , Little Falls, NJ, Nov 30
  • Memorial School, West Paterson, NJ, Nov 30
  • St. Anne’s School, Garden City, NY Dec 1
  • Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School, Melrose, MA Dec 2
  • Our Lady of Mercy Regional School, East Greenwich, RI  Dec 3
  • BYU Conference Center, Provo, UT Dec 4
  • Jeffferson Middle School, Albuquerque, NM Dec 7
  • The Derryfield School, Manchester, NH Dec 9
  • Richmond Middle School, Hanover, NH Dec 10
  • Hanover High School, Hanover, NH Dec 10
  • Franklin Benjamin Middle School, Teaneck, NJ Dec 11
  • Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Teaneck, NJ Dec 11
  • Norwell Middle School, Norwell, MA Dec 14
  • Castle Rock Middle School, Billings, MT Dec 15
  • Brockton School, Brockton, MT Dec 16
  • Culbertson School, Culbertson, MT Dec 16
  • Riverside Middle School, Billings, MT Dec 17
  • Lewis and Clarke Middle School, Billings, MT Dec 17
  • William James Middle School, Billings, MT Dec 18
  • Billings Catholic Schools, Billings, MT Dec 18
  • Enosburg Falls Middle School, Enosburg, VT Jan 8
  • Belle Chasse Academy, Belle Chasse, LA Jan 12
  • Floral Park High School, Floral Park, NY Jan 14
  • Elmont Memorial High School, Elmont, NY Jan 14
  • Carey High School, Franklin Square, NY Jan 15
  • Pennfield Middle School, Hatfield, PA Jan 19
  • Mainland Regional High School, Linwood, NJ Jan 20
  • Northfield Community School, Northfield, NJ Jan 20
  • Temple Sinai of Roslyn, Roslyn, NY Jan 21
  • Copeland Middle School, Rockaway, NJ Jan 22
  • O'Maley Middle School, Gloucester, MA Jan 25
  • Wilson Middle School, Natick, MA Jan 26
  • Melican Middle School, Northborough, MA Jan 27
  • P Brent Trottier Middle School, Southborough, MA Jan 28
  • Manchester Essex Middle/High School, Manchester, MA Jan 29
  • Dedham High School, Dedham, MA Feb 1
  • Roosevelt Middle School, Bristol, PA Feb 2
  • Interboro Senior High School, Prospect Park, PA Feb 3
  • Ridley Middle School, Folsom, PA Feb 4
  • Broadalbin-Perth Middle School, Amsterdam, NY Feb 5
  • JT Lambert Middle School, East Stroudsburg, PA Feb 8
  • East Stroudsburg High School, East Stroudsburg, PA Feb 9
  • Dawnwood Middle School, Centereach, NY Feb 11
  • Northport Middle School, Northport, NY Feb 12
  • William Anin Middle School, Basking Ridge, NJ Feb 15
  • Conrad Weiser Middle School, Robesonia, PA Feb 16
  • JFK Middle School, Enfield, CT Feb 17
  • Enfield High School, Enfield, CT Feb 17
  • Enrico Fermi High School, Enfield, CT Feb 18

 

2008-2009

  • Windham Middle, NH Sep 22
  • Sanborn Middle School, Newton, NH Sep 23
  • Holbrook Middle School, Holbrook, MA Sep 24
  • South Shore Charter Public School, Norwell, MA Sep 24
  • Myers Corners School, Wappingers, NY Oct 27
  • Kinry Road School, Poughkeepsie, NY Oct 27
  • James Evans School, Wappingers Falls, NY Oct 28
  • Bulkeley Middle School, Rhinebeck, NY Oct 28
  • Sagamore Middle School, Holtsville, NY Oct 29
  • West Essex Middle School and High School, Caldwell, NJ
  • Anti Defamation League Youth Conference on Cyberbullying, Montpelier, VT Nov 6
  • WM F Gurrie Middle School, La Grange, IL Nov 17
  • West Side Middle School, Elkhart, IN Nov 18
  • North Side Middle School, Elhart, IN Nov 18
  • Central High School Community Presentation, Elkhart, IN Nov 18
  • Pierre Moran Middle School, Elkhart, IN Nov 19
  • Hamlin Upper Grade Center, Alsip, IL Nov 20
  • Independence Junior High, Palos Hieghts, IL Nov 20
  • Corinth Middle School and High School, NY Dec 1
  • Wappingers Junior High School, NY Dec 2
  • Haviland Middle School, Hyde Park, NY Dec 3
  • Lagrange Middle School, Lagrange NY Dec 4
  • Sanborn Regional High School, Kingston, NH Dec 8
  • Hampstead Middle School, NH Dec 8
  • Stamford Elementary School, Stamford, VT Jan 12
  • Shelburne Community School, Shelburne, VT Jan 16
  • Highland School, Highland, NY Jan 26
  • Tunbridge Central School, Tunbridge, VT Jan 30
  • Barstow Memorial, Chittenden, VT Feb 2
  • Mt. St. Joseph Academy, Rutland, VT Feb 3
  • Beverly High School, Beverly, MA Feb 5
  • Briscoe Middle School, Beverly, MA Feb 5
  • Littleton Middle School and High School, Littleton, NH Feb 9
  • Williams Field HS, Gilbert, AZ Feb 12
  • Highley High School, Gilbert, AZ Feb 13
  • Fairfield Center School, Fairfeild, VT Feb 16
  • BFA Fairfax Middle and High School, Fairfax, VT Feb 18
  • Lakeview Middle School, Kansas City, MO Feb 23
  • Plaza Middle School, Kansas City, MO Feb 23
  • Congress Middle School, Kansas City, MO Feb 24
  • St. Therese School, Kansas City, MO Feb 24
  • Baldwin Middle School, Baldwin, NY Feb 25
  • Penndale Middle School, Lansdale, PA Feb 26
  • Ramsey Middle School, Ramsey, NJ Feb 27
  • Poultney High School, Poultney, VT March 6
  • Montville High School, Montville, NJ March 10
  • Sparta Middle School, Sparta, NJ March 11
  • New Hyde Park High School, New Hyde Park, NY March 12
  • Monticello High School, Monticello, VA March 16
  • Albemarle High School, Charlottesville, VA March 17
  • Jouet Middle School, Charlottesville, VA March 18
  • Bullit Lick Middle School, Shepherdsville, KY March 23 and 24
  • Mechanicville Middle School, NY March 26
  • Warrensburge Jr/Sr High School, Warrensburg, NY March 27
  • St. Albans Town Educational Center, VT March 30
  • Essex Middle School, Essex, VT March 30
  • Thompson Middle School, Grosvenordale, CT April 7
  • Woodstock Middle School, Woodstock, CT April 7
  • Bethel Middle School, Bethel, CT April 9
  • Folsom School, South Hero, VT April 9
  • Mill River High School, North Clarendon, VT April 10
  • Bedminster Township School, Bedminster, NJ April 20
  • Old Turnpike School, Califon, NJ April 21
  • Schuylerville Middle School, Schuylerville, NY April 22
  • Victim Services Conference, Manitoulin Island, Ontario April 28
  • Hartford High School, White River Junction, VT April 30
  • Anti Defamation League's Cyberbullying Conference, Keynote, NYC May 1
  • Power Ranch Elementary,Gilbert AZ May 4
  • Mountainside Middle School, Scottsdale, AZ May 5
  • Hickory Creek Middle School, Frankfort IL May 6
  • Sheldon Middle School and High School, Sheldon, IA May 7
  • Grand Isle School, Grand Isle VT May 13
  • St. Albans City School, St. Albans VT May 14
  • Collaborative Youth Conference Keynote, Manchester VT May 15
  • Vermont Catholic Schools Conference, St. Michael's College May 18
  • New Fairfield Middle and High School, New Fairfield CT May 19
  • Corinth High School, Corinth NY May 19
  • Ramapo Ridge Middle School, Mahwah NJ May 20
  • Hudson Falls Middle School, Hudson Falls NY May 21
  • Stroudsburge Middle School, Stroudsburg PA May 22
  • Holmdel High School, Holmdel, NJ May 27
  • Franklin Township School, Quakertown NJ May 28
  • JP Case Middle School, Flemington NJ May 29
  • Oak Middle School, Shrewsbury, MA June 8
  • Hudson Falls HS, Hudson Falls, NY Community Presentation June 8
  • United Nations, NYC - Unlearning Intolerance Conference, Panelist June 16
  • Great Neck North Middle School, Great Neck, NY June 23
  • Timberlane Regional Middle School, Plaistow, NH June 24

2007/2008 School Year:

  • Dover Plains Middle School and High School, NY Oct 11
  • Millbrook Middle School, NY Oct 10
  • Webetuck Middle School, NY Oct 12
  • Lamoille Middle School, VT
  • Rutland Central School District, VT Nov 5
  • Weybridge Elementary School, Parent Presentation Nov 5
  • Middlebury Union Middle School, VT Nov 12
  • Waldorf School, Shelburne, VT Students and Parents Nov 13
  • White Mountains Regional High School, Whitefield NH, Nov 14
  • Mater Christi, Burlington, VT - Parents Nov 18
  • Mater Christi, Burlington, VT - Students Nov 19
  • Oxbow Middle School/High School Bradford, VT November 26
  • Winooski Middle School, VT December 3
  • Enosburg High School, December 10
  • Woodstock, VT January 10
  • Lyndon Town School, VT Jan 14
  • Lyndon Institute, VT Jan 14
  • Vermont Commons School, VT Jan 28
  • Prairie Junior HS, Alsip, IL Feb 4
  • Milton Jr High School, VT February 11
  • Berkshire Middle School, VT February 18
  • New Hope, PA March 7
  • Barre Town Middle School, March 10
  • Project Soar St. Albans, March 17
  • New Fairfield, CT March 24
  • Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School, South Burlington VT Mar 31
  • St. Albans Parent Presentation at SATEC April 3, 6pm
  • Long Island Lutheran Middle/High School, Brookville, NY April 7
  • Colchester Middle School , VT April 14
  • Leland and Grey, Townsend, VT April 28
  • Arlington Middle and High School, VT May 5
  • Alburgh Educational Center, VT May 12
  • Bishop Guertin High School, Nashua, NH May 19

2006/2007 School Year

  • VT South West Supervisory Union In-service Aug 28
  • Mount Anthony Union High School Bennington VT grade 9 Sept 8
  • Summit Middle School, Frisco CO Sept 24
  • Summit High School, Frisco CO Sept 24
  • Centauri Middle School, La Jara CO Sept 25
  • Ortega Middle School, Alamosa, CO Sept 25
  • Centennial Middle School, San Luis CO Sept 26
  • Key note speaker at Colorado Youth Assets Regional Meeting in Alamosa Sept 26
  • Brush High School, Brush CO Sept 27
  • Brush Middle School, Brush CO Sept 27
  • Key note speaker at Colorado Foundation's Regional Meeting in Denver Sept 28
  • St. Francis Xavier School Winooski Oct 4
  • Berlin Middle/High School, Berlin NY Oct 12
  • The Gailor School. Middlebury VT Oct 17 (plus evening presentation for parents)
  • Stevens School Peacham VT Oct 19 (evening with parents/students)
  • E.Montpelier Community Connections U32 HS Parent Workshop 6:30pm Oct 24
  • Stowe Middle School, VT Oct 27
  • Rice High School, South Burlington VT grade 9 Oct 30
  • Browns River Middle School parent presentation Nov 1 - 7pm School Library
  • Browns River Middle School grade 6 Nov 2
  • Cabot School, VT Nov 6
  • Williston Central School, VT Nov 9
  • NY State Commission of Investigation Public Hearing, NYC Nov 16
  • Bellows Falls Middle School VT Nov 20
  • Manchester Middle School , VT Nov 27
  • King George School Sutton, VT Nov 29
  • Harwood Middle and High School VT Dec 4
  • Enosburg Middle School grade 6 Dec 5
  • BFA - New Beginnings grades 9-12 Dec 14
  • West Rutland School District In-Service Jan 2
  • Hinesburg Community School Jan 5
  • Riverside Middle School Springfield VT Jan 8
  • Windsor Middle School VT Jan 9
  • Hardwood HS Evening Presentation for Parents Jan 22
  • Northfield Community Presentation Jan 24
  • Casey Family Services Presentation Winooski Jan 25
  • Barre Presentation for Parents Jan 31
  • Lakeview Middle School, MO Feb 5
  • Montpelier Evening Presentation for Parents Feb 12
  • Montpelier HS Grades 9-12 Feb 13
  • Montpelier Middle School grades 6-8 Feb 13
  • Hinesburg Community School Parent Presentation Feb 20
  • St Albans City School grades 6-8 Feb 22
  • Northfield High School March 9
  • Twin Valley Middle School, Jacksonville, VT March 12
  • Mettawee Community School/Long Trail School Mar 20
  • Conte, MA Mar 21
  • Hyde Park NY Mar 26
  • Bullitt Central High School Kentucky March 29
  • Hebron Middle School Kentucky March 29
  • Bullitt East High School Kentucky March 30
  • Eastside Middle School Kentucky March 30
  • i-Jam Conference, Kentucky March 31
  • Crosset Brook Middle School, VT April 5
  • Barre City Middle School April 11
  • Orange , VT April 11
  • BFA Fairfax School, VT May 2
  • Twinfield School, VT May 9
  • U32, Barre VT May 22

2005/2006 School Year

  • South Royalton grades 7-12
  • Colchester Middle School grades 6-8
  • Dover Plains Jr/Sr HS NY grades 7-12
  • Westford grades 7-8
  • Fairhaven High School grades 9-12
  • Vergennes Middle School & High School grades 7-12
  • Bellows Free Academy - St Albans grades 9-12
  • Otter Valley Middle School grades 7-8
  • Browns River Middle School grades 6-8
  • Lamoille Union Middle School grades 7-8
  • Lamoille Union High School grade 9 
  • Camel’s Hump Middle School grades 7-8
  • Melrose Middle School , MA grades 6-7
  • Millbrook , NY grades 7-8
  • Enosburg Falls Middle School grades 6-8
  • St. Johnsbury School grades 5-8
  • Lyndon Town School grades 6-8
  • St. Albans Educational Center grades 7-8
  • Barre Town School grades 6-8
  • Spaulding High School grades 9-11
  • Rice High School grades 9-12
  • Mill River School grades 6-8
  • Barstow Memorial grades 7-8
  • Mount Abraham High School grades 7-12
  • Missisquoi Valley Union School grades 6-12
  • Alburgh Educational Center grades 6-8
  • Williston Central School (Voyager Team grades 5-8)
  • Middlebury Union Middle School grades 7-8 
  • Bakersfield grades 6-8
  • Danville School grades 6-8
  • St. Francis Xavier School in Winooski grades 6-8
  • Williamstown High School grades 9-10
  • Charlotte grade 6
  • Bellows Falls High School grades 9-12
  • Williamstown Middle School grades 7-8 
  • Williston Central School grade 5-8 teams 
  • Grand Isle School grades 6-8
  • Georgia Middle School grades 7-8 

2004/2005 School Year

  • Mount Mansfield Union High School grades 9-12
  • Milton Jr and Sr High School grades 7-12

 

 

 

©2009 Ryan's Story Presentation, LLC