Ryan Slater - Site Memorial Online

For most of my high school career I was dating Ryan. I had moved out at a rather earlier age then most and we had began living together. We were living in the cabin on the Lake Shore road at this point. We had 3 dogs, and way to much stuff to keep in an 800 sq ft apartment, but naturally that didn't stop us. Ryan was working at the bob sled. Every morning before he would go to work he would bring me to my moms before school where I would go back to sleep for a little bit and then get a ride into school. One day Ryan had off. Him and I woke up, we went to Mcdonald's and he drove me to school. The whole way I was begging him to let me stay home with him. Telling him it's just one day, and trying to give him every excuse in the book along with every valid reason I could so he would let me stay home. Needless to say nothing worked. We got to the high school and Ryan gave me lunch money (playing the boyfriend and parent role), kissed me we said I love you and he told me he would be back at 2:56 to pick me up. I went to school that day with a bad attitude. Let's be honest, who wouldn't want to skip school to stay home with their boyfriend? All day because of my bad attitude I was bumping heads with teachers and fellow classmates. I decided I didn't want to be there anymore. I was in the class right before lunch when I text Ryan asking him to come get me. He asked me if everything was alright, and I gave him a vague answer back, again just saying please come get me. The bell had rang for us to go to lunch and I knew it wasn't going to take Ryan long to get to me. I didn't bother going downstairs, but instead began to walk out the main front door when I was stopped and asked where I was going. I proceeded to tell the teacher I was signing out, when I was then questioned about which parent was picking me up and was informed I needed to have them come in and sign me out. Well I didn't like that answer, so I just walked out. I had gotten to Ryan's car, which was parked right out front when he had a look of concern on his face and asked what was wrong and if I was okay. I had just simply told him I was having a bad day because I didn't want to be there and  I wasn't getting along with my teachers because of my attitude so I had just walked out of school after being stopped by a teacher. Ryan calmly looked at me and told me to get my butt back in school. At first I didn't really think he was going to make me go back in after I had just walked out. But boy was I wrong. He asked me if I still had my lunch money, and I told him yes. He then told me well you better get back in there before you miss your lunch break and are hungry the rest of the day at school. He said Stephanie Marie, you are going back to school right now, and I will see you when your day ends. Furious and embarrassed I got out of his car and finished my day at school. Ryan always had my best interest in mind, even when I didn't.

I lived in a cute house in Clinton, Ct. One day when Ryan was still car seat small, I placed him in the car seat. Got in and started the car when I realized that I forgot something on the counter. The front door and hence the counter was less than 15' from the car, I got out ran into the house to grab the item off the counter. In a very, very short period Ryan got out of his car seat, climbed the over the seat and proceeded to drive the car through the swingset. I remember  as if it happened yesterday. Needless to say I never, ever left him alone in the car after that. Ryan, nor the car were hurt.
He always had a fascination with cars, motorcycles, and anything with speed.

I have lots of great memories of Ryan, but there is one I will never forget!!! We wnt to Lake George for the weekend and Ryan came along with us. We were spending the day at Great Escape and Ryan had been on the bungy jump thing once before and wanted to go again. Nobody would go so I finally gave in and went. BIG MISTAKE =) As they were lifting us up in the air it felt as thought I was falling out of the harness. I asked Ryan, is the harness supposed to be feeling loose??? His reply was I don't know I don't even know why I wanted to do this again!!!! Well I let out a few cuss words at him and before I knew it we were at the top dangling!!! And then they released us!!! What a rush, I couldn't scream or breathe, I was scared to death!!! But once I felt the bunging cord catch I was relieved as wew swung back and forth!!! That was a great experience that I will never foret and will probably never do again!!! Glad I went with Ryan after all!!!!