Credit: Google/Thinkstock
Credit: Google/Thinkstock
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This is the hardest post that I have ever had to write, but I knew that I had to be the one to write it.

Last summer, a close friend of my husband invited us to a party at a beach house in Fairfield, CT. He and his girlfriend, Jill, were renting the house for the week and invited friends and family who all gathered to share a beautiful day by the water. It was at that party that I met Jill's son, Forrest Ryan, the young man killed in the motorcycle accident on Route 25 in Monroe, CT.

My husband and I sat with Jill, her parents, Forrest and his girlfriend. We spent the evening with them laughing as Forrest joked about his grandfather who was enjoying every minute of the ribbing. You could tell that this was a close family bonded by love and so many wonderful memories with yet another fond memory being made right there that night at the beach house.

Those memories were all cut short on Monday evening when Forrest was riding his beloved Harley Davidson, crossed the center line and went head on into a Range Rover. I didn't have to research any of the story, unfortunately, I know all about the accident.

On Monday evening, as my husband and I were chatting after a late dinner, his cell phone rang and his usual jovial demeanor changed instantly. All I heard was, "Oh no! Oh God! I'm so sorry, brother, whatever you need, you know I'm here."

Forrest was only 24-years-old.

I only met him once, but all I could think about was that day last summer. I thought of his mom and her beautiful smile, so beautiful that I remember remarking to her mother about it. I wondered if she would ever smile again. I immediately had to know where my own boys were. It is such a hard thing to wrap your brain around. What do you do to help a family when a tragedy like this hits them?

Will you join me in sending the Ryan family prayers and love? What else could possibly help? To me, it doesn't seem like enough but at the very least, it is something.

Forrest Ryan joined the Monroe Volunteer Fire Department in 2009, who are accepting memorial contributions for the family. Click here to be taken to their website. A Go Fund Me page has also been set up to help the family with funeral expenses. You can click here to be taken to that page.

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