In 2015, Ryan Teixeira, a high school baseball player from Pismo Beach, CA was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma (soft tissue). The combination of treatments and a major surgery lasted about a year. He was able to go to Colorado Mesa University on his baseball scholarship when he was healthy enough. About 9 months later the cancer returned, this time as Acute Myeloid Leukemia (a side-effect of the chemo used for his previous cancer). Unfortunately this cancer was more aggressive and March 4th, 2017, after a long hard battle in the hospital for 5 months, Ryan went to be with Jesus. Ryan had an infectious personality and a drive to help others. Because Ryan turned 18 before the cancer was diagnosed, he did not qualify for available Make-A-Wish programs. From that moment Ryan was determined to make his own non-profit called "17 Strong" that would allow people like him to have a "Victory Trip." His family is living out his wish by carrying his legacy through 17 Strong and striving to help others as he would have wanted.