Distinctly Montana Magazine

40 D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 5 Eli loves being in the water, and his parents knew he would enjoy the bumpy rides, lights, and colors that come along with an amusement park. In 2014, the Montana Hope Project grant- ed his wish and sent the family of five to Disney World to ring in the new year. Like the Parkers, the Buechlers were also guests at Give Kids the World. "It was pretty amazing, because we weren't thinking about work or therapies or doctors' appointments. We were just living in the moment for a change, and it hadn't been that way for a while," Casey explains. The family was escorted to the front of every line, and a staff mem- ber would be waiting with Eli's wheelchair as soon as a ride ended. Back at the resort, volunteers ensured the family had everything they needed so they could simply kick back and relax together. "Everything was thought of in advance and we didn't have to be responsible for anything," Jamie adds. "It was like a fairytale." RYANNE'S WISH When Ryanne Briere encounters a hurdle in life, she doesn't find a way over or around it; she blasts straight on through. For her, challenges are little more than minor detours on her path to success. "She's unstoppable," Wendy Briere says of her 20-year-old daughter. "She's never once asked why things have happened to her, she's never wanted pity for herself, and she just always takes all the negativity and turns it into something positive." Ryanne was born with thrombocytopenia absent radius (TAR), a syndrome characterized by a defi- ciency of platelets and the absence of the long, thin radius bones of the forearms. In addition to having shortened arms, all the joints in her fingers are fused, so she's un- able to make a fist. "There are about 500 cases of TAR syndrome in the U.S. right now," Ryanne notes. "I am one of the less severe cases." Walking is another significant challenge. "I have bowlegs, there are no lig- aments in my legs, and both of my hips were dislocated at birth. My left leg is two inches longer than my right, so I limp really badly," she explains. "Since I have no lig- aments, it is just bone grinding on bone all the time, so it very pain- ful to walk very far." "Actually," Ryanne casually remarks, "my doctors have no idea how I'm able to walk because you're supposed to need lig- aments to walk." Ryanne underwent 14 platelet transfusions during her first four months of life and has undergone nearly two dozen surgical procedures over the past 20 years. Along the way, she worked steadfastly to secure her spot as valedictorian of Harlem High School's class of 2022—right down to having perfect attendance and a 4.0 GPA. Today, she works as in intake coordinator at One Health in Chinook and Harlem. "I write, I drive, I pretty much do everything anyone else does," she says, "it just takes me a bit longer." Ryanne was in junior high when her parents applied to the Montana Hope Project on her behalf. "She was learning about Pearl Harbor in school at the time," Wendy recalls. "It was because of that event that her great-grand- pa joined the military, and she was really drawn to that." Ryanne celebrated her 12th birthday in Hawaii along with her parents and her three younger sisters. "We went to Pearl Harbor, the Dole plantation, and Polyne- sian Cultural Center," she says. "But my favorite part was Kona, our tour guide. He was so cool. After we did the tours, he took us deeper into the island to see the North Shore beach and visit a temple. He didn't have to do that for us; he did it be- cause he wanted to. That was my favorite part of the trip." A PLACE OF BELONGING Among the most impactful elements of the Montana Hope Project are the feelings of inclusion and comradery that continue to flourish long after a child's wish is grant- ed. Hundreds of family members and wish

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