Facing the unimaginable, we step away from our habitual sensory journey to share something profoundly personal. As Ryan's father bravely faces his health crisis, our family has been enveloped in a world of deep emotion and tough decisions – a narrative that's reshaped the fabric of our lives and the routine of this podcast. We've had to make the heart-wrenching call to postpone our eagerly awaited Patreon live event, as my dad's recent strokes have led us to the doors of hospice care. Amidst this turmoil, Myke has been an unwavering pillar of support. Although the air is heavy with sorrow, we pledge to carry on with the essence of the podcast, fueled by the gratitude we feel for the indelible impact Ryan's father has had on us all.
In this heartfelt episode, we honor the legacy of those who leave lasting imprints on our hearts, weaving in stories of love and the stark reality of loss. It's a reminder to cherish every moment with the ones you love, as life's fragility comes to the forefront. We invite you into our reflections on Ryan's father's qualities and the lessons he leaves behind – qualities that have undoubtedly shaped who we are and the joy we strive to bring to you, our listeners. As we extend our reach out to you in our community, we hope to inspire a collective embrace of family, memory, and the enduring power of love.
Facing the unimaginable, we step away from our habitual sensory journey to share something profoundly personal. As Ryan's father bravely faces his health crisis, our family has been enveloped in a world of deep emotion and tough decisions – a narrative that's reshaped the fabric of our lives and the routine of this podcast. We've had to make the heart-wrenching call to postpone our eagerly awaited Patreon live event, as my dad's recent strokes have led us to the doors of hospice care. Amidst this turmoil, Myke has been an unwavering pillar of support. Although the air is heavy with sorrow, we pledge to carry on with the essence of the podcast, fueled by the gratitude we feel for the indelible impact Ryan's father has had on us all.
In this heartfelt episode, we honor the legacy of those who leave lasting imprints on our hearts, weaving in stories of love and the stark reality of loss. It's a reminder to cherish every moment with the ones you love, as life's fragility comes to the forefront. We invite you into our reflections on Ryan's father's qualities and the lessons he leaves behind – qualities that have undoubtedly shaped who we are and the joy we strive to bring to you, our listeners. As we extend our reach out to you in our community, we hope to inspire a collective embrace of family, memory, and the enduring power of love.
Hello everybody, welcome to the Cologne podcast.
Speaker 2:I'm Mike, I'm Ryan. We're two best friends and family, yes, and we're typically going on a fragrance journey spelling fragrances, but we're taking a more serious, sobering moment with you guys. Just to talk about real life for a second.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we had planned to do a Patreon live this Friday, the first, and we're really excited for that, and that's still going to happen at a later date.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're rescheduling that. We'll get with you guys on Patreon about that, but to give you guys a little backstory.
Speaker 1:You all kind of know about it because we've talked about it on the podcast before and people have given me encouragement, thank you. My father had a stroke in December of last year. He was somewhat improving. He lost the ability to walk on his own and was having severe short-term memory issues and a lot of confusion was not fun and we're still steadily working, always behind the scenes Mike knows it's like a release for me to you know, do episodes still? So? We're, we do them. Yeah, and Mike's been supportive. He's him. He's visited my dad and everything. He's been great. Talk trash about me to him.
Speaker 2:Of course, yeah, it kept him smiling.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but however, he had a second stroke, I guess a couple of weeks back or a week back, and he got hospitalized and it was pretty severe, I guess, the damage they had done. The first one kind of hit like his left part of his brain and it you know it messed up the right side of his body pretty much completely. He had muscle strength, he just didn't have any coordination. And then the second one hit the back right part of his brain and that had to do with like balance and he was obviously confused as well.
Speaker 1:He was in the hospital, me and my brother were taking shifts, staying up there with them, and then, I guess during my shift or handoff to my brother, he had a third stroke and this one was the one that kind of did him in. He's still alive but it has forced our hand, unfortunately, into hospice. So in the meantime this is going to kind of put this on delay for just a little bit we're still going to do episodes and we still plan on doing the live. It's just going to be a minute while we kind of gather things, because my dad is also part of Mark's family, so it's tough for him to and he's dealing with it.
Speaker 2:And even though, like you said, he is alive not to be more of a graphic, but he is on his way out. Very much so, yes, and this is your story. So I'm, you know I'm not going to tap into much of it, but basically all the time that we have right now is the only time that we have left, and so, even if Ryan would push to come do something, in my heart of hearts, I wouldn't feel in good conscience about even making this any bit of a priority. I know you guys understand and appreciate everything, but the point being is that there's so much going on that, you know, we've always kind of committed to being extremely transparent and authentic, and so this is the attempt to do that, but also just saying we love you. The podcast didn't go in anywhere, but obviously anybody would take this time to be present, especially Ryan.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure. So we're taking for sure this week coming off and then the following week, Mike, you're going to Milan, which I went ahead and told him.
Speaker 2:When I found out the news I was like, no matter what, yeah, this was even before the really hard news came that you were just like you go ahead, and obviously I'm conflicted with that. But I also know that checking in with you and including you in that type of stuff is like a needed break from some of the seriousness around here as well. So for sure, we're trying to put a silver lining around as much as we can.
Speaker 1:And I'll be okay, michael will be okay and we'll be back for sure, full blown, whatever, once everything settles here, I promise you we'll be at it. I do want to say a big thanks to my dad. He dedicated a lot of his life to being just a really great person. He was super witty yeah, very sarcastic I get any of my humor from him and I don't ever know how to shut it off just like he was. He was very caring to everybody, very impersonable, a lot more attractive than me. Actually, even the nurses when they came in just a couple of nights ago when he was kind of still, you know, alert, and before he had thirst for it. They're like man, he is a handsome man. I was like if I was there, they'd be like God, get this guy.
Speaker 2:He's not even related right.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So he was a very sharp guy. He very musically talented, had only an eighth grade education, worked his ass off Him and my brother built houses together for years. He retired from it. My brother still builds houses, but he had just a great guy. And honestly, this I mean not to say he started it for my, but for my side of it, my journey. I would not be here on doing this show if it was not for him. That man laced me up with fragrances even in kindergarten, obnoxiously, I mean by proxy.
Speaker 2:He got me into it because you got me into it yeah.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, such a wonderful guy. One thing I would just say is like he was incredibly proud of you, ryan, you could see that, and I would jokingly say that he was so proud of your brother for being a hard worker and he was so proud of you for being so intelligent. You never had to work hard Because he. That was one thing you could get him talking about just how super intelligent Ryan is, because he knows how to work the Google machine. Yeah, yeah, my brother hates that, but you know, even when I would visit and Ryan wasn't there that's a surefire way to get him to smile is to talk about Ryan man.
Speaker 2:He was so is so proud of you and you could always see that. So it was such a pleasure getting to know him and getting to be part of his family, because he is probably the sweetest, most gentle guy with impeccable timing. He'd get to it about as slow as molasses, but could Lord use. But he always had something pretty funny to say and anytime I was around him it was such a wonderful time. So it has been quite an honor to just get the time that I was able to share with him as well.
Speaker 1:I appreciate what I know is coming with him and everything else. I'm going to have a huge hole in my heart and life is definitely not going to be the same. Mike knows this, but none of you know this. You know my mother had Parkinson's for 20 some odd years. My dad helped with her all that he could, yeah, but when she got really bad and had to be long term care and like a nursing home, I don't even think he was allowed, but yeah, he never stayed the night at his house again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and luckily in the same facility that the rooms are in my size, they rolled a bed in or a recline, a sleeping recliner, sleep and recliner.
Speaker 1:Yeah, at 80 years old, he never slept in his house again. He stayed with my mom for the few years she had left up until she passed. I was with him and my brother when my mom passed in hospice as well, and, ironically enough, dad's in the room next to where she passed. Yeah, and that's just how it worked out, but he sacrificed literally his body for her.
Speaker 2:Other than his great witty sense of humor. I would say one of the greatest qualities that he passed down Obviously you see it in Don, but I see it in you is like you were saying, cletus was such a loyal man, very loved, very deeply and cared with ever fiber of his being, and that's part of why I love you so much, ryan, is that you have unshakable loyalty and it's clear you get that from your dad.
Speaker 1:He was just an amazing human being and, you know, I wish everybody in life could, could have somebody like that in their life growing up, and I'm going to miss it. And, guys, we obviously apologize and for this inconvenience for the time being. It will be short lived and we will get back to it and I appreciate you guys being here for us, listening to us. I know that you guys will understand and we love you all very much and I just encourage you all to be as close as you can with your loved ones and cherish it. I promise you, when somebody you care about is going, nothing matters Politics, you know, bullshit, fights, whatever you know, it doesn't matter and you're just thankful for this time that you have coexisted with another human being just as great as them, and you all just equally share this weird blip that just happens and I hope you all can experience something just, you know, amazing as I have, because I have to be thankful and I'm not afraid of where he's going and I can't wait to see him again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we love you all very much and you know, we just ask that, if you're the praying kind, that you send a few out for, obviously, ryan, his siblings, my side of the family just know that all the things that you've come to love about this podcast and about Ryan that he came about it honest, because he had a great meaningful relationship with his dad and he rubbed off, and so all the things that make you smile about what we do I would say that he's somewhat responsible.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely, and we love you guys. We'll see you guys here in a week or two and until next time, you know what it is.