'Little Tacoma Boy' Was Upbeat, Despite Horrors He Survived

'Little Tacoma Boy' Was Upbeat, Despite Horrors He Survived

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Story Published: Jun 22, 2005 at 10:41 PM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 1:59 AM PDT

By Bryan Johnson

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THURSTON COUNTY - The family of Ryan Hade is asking that a fund for molested children be named in his honor.

Ryan died in a crash while riding a motorcycle on road near the Thurston county town of Yelm.

For 16 years his identity had been protect by his family and friends.

Hade was "the little Tacoma boy" whose story was known across the United States and in much of the world.

Wednesday the family released pictures of Ryan when he was 7-years-old. The pictures taken just before he rode his bike into a neighborhood park and was savagely attacked by Earl Shriner.

On May 20, 1989, Shriner raped Ryan. Stabbed him. Cut off his penis and left him for dead.

It was a story that touched the hearts of America. People responded with teddy bears and dollars.

Betty Foote, Ryan's grandmother, remembers huge stacks of teddy bears and toys.

Thousand of letters. She read every one.

And pennies and dollars ranging from a few pennies from the allowances of children, to $10,000 from a doctor in Oregon.

"The money was put into a trust fund for Ryan's education," said Foote. "And after he left home he got a small monthly stipend. The fund topped $1 million."

Ryan would have been able to get access to the fund after his 35th birthday. But the reason he is now being identified is that on June 9th he died at the age of 23.

The pictures his family shared included several of Ryan smiling from a hospital bed.

His grandmother says Ryan was always smiling, always upbeat. He knew what had happened to him and one time told a nurse: "I wish I were a starfish." The nurse asked why. The 7-year-old replied: "They can grow back stars."

There's a small cross on the road when Ryan died June 9. His dad put it up 10 days later, on Father's Day. He wrote "Know you couldn't make it down to see me. So I came to see you. Love Dad"

Ryan's cousin, Rachael Smith, told KOMO 4 News: "He needs to be remembered. He overcame so much. He had an impact on everyone."

His grandmother added, "How could he go like this, after what he'd been through. It just didn't see fair. But we always said the Lord has a plan and we don't know that plan and we have to go with it."

The world was so touched by Ryan's story, a trust fund reached $1 million... most still unspent. The fund never had a name. Ryan's family had a request of trustees: "please name it for Ryan."

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