Life Lessons Learned: Amazing Stories of My Walk Across America for Children

My faith commands me to take care of those in need, particularly the children. Then in 2008, our nation faced a serious financial crisis. During that crisis, funding for mental health became disrupted, and children suffered. The crushing need to help our children led me to walk across america to tell everyone who would listen about the needs of children with emotional issues, behavioral issues, and developmental disabilities. Little did i know at the outset of my walk that it would become a walk of lifes lessons learned about the beautiful, decent, caring people in our nation. During my walk, my cynicism was replaced with hope, with gratitude, and with renewed faith in mankind. I was renewed spiritually and emotionally by the people i met along my journey. My walk started as a spiritual journey. It was a walk of atonement and a walk of gratitude.

From very humble beginnings starting with the death of his dad at age three and due to his loving family, Frank Ryan understood the value of hard work and the challenges so many people like him face in life. That understanding led Frank to dedicate his life to public service as a volunteer. He has served on numerous boards of directors of nonprofit charitable organizations. In March 2008, he was elected chair of the board of directors of Good Shepherd Services, a residential treatment facility for children facing challenges in their lives. It is that love for the mission of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd that led Frank to walk 2,806 miles across America in 2014 to raise awareness of the needs of children with emotional and behavioral issues and for developmentally disabled children. He is a CPA, author, commentator, and expert in corporate restructurings and management. Frank is a Pennsylvania CPA, a Knight of Malta, and a graduate of Mount Saint Mary's College, with an MBA from the University of Maryland. Frank Ryan, a retired marine reserve colonel, was recalled to active duty, out of his military retirement, in December 2004 and served with Multi-National Force–Iraq until June 2005. Prior to his initial retirement in 2002, Frank served as the central command special operations officer during Operation Enduring Freedom. His personal military decorations include three Legions of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, and the US Army Commendation Medal.