Dillon Family Seeks Community Support As Son Battles Back From Rare Medical Crisis

DILLON, Mont. — A Dillon mother is sharing the extraordinary medical journey of her son in hopes of securing the specialized rehabilitation he now urgently needs. After surviving a rare and life-threatening medical event, Ryan Foster, 30, has spent nearly two years fighting his way back from the brink—first in major hospitals, and now in a rural nursing facility unequipped to meet the next stage of his recovery.

Ryan’s ordeal began on April 20, 2023, when he suffered a sudden AVM rupture/stroke, a rare congenital condition affecting less than one percent of the population. He was life-flighted from Montana to Utah for emergency treatment, where doctors performed a 22-hour brain surgery in a race to save his life.

Over the next year, Ryan endured four additional life flights, more than 20 medical procedures, three craniotomies, three shunt revisions, and two serious post-surgical infections. Throughout much of this time, he was unable to participate in physical therapy due to the severity of his condition.

“Many people told us he would never talk again,” said his mother, Ronda Huffman. “But Ryan has never stopped fighting.”

After a prolonged stay at the University of Utah Hospital, the only facility in Montana willing to accept him was a nursing home in his mother’s hometown of Dillon. While the move brought the benefit of being near family, it also placed Ryan in a setting without the advanced neurological therapy he requires.

Despite these limitations, Ryan has made unexpected progress. Nearly two years after the medical emergency, he has begun speaking again and regaining mobility—milestones his care team once believed might never come.

Now, the family says they are at a critical crossroads.

According to Huffman, Ryan is finally strong enough to leave the facility and transition into a more independent environment. However, Montana lacks the specialized rehabilitation technology and hands-on neurological therapy needed for the next stage of his recovery. The family has also struggled to find handicap-accessible rental housing in the Dillon area.

After months of searching, they have identified a promising opportunity in Salt Lake City, Utah: an accessible apartment that meets Ryan’s needs and proximity to an advanced outpatient rehabilitation program. While Ryan was initially denied inpatient rehab, the Utah program has assured the family that once he establishes Medicaid coverage in the state, he will be eligible for comprehensive outpatient therapy—including transportation to and from sessions.

For the family, the challenge now is making the move possible.

Relocating out of state means navigating months of expenses while waiting for Medicaid eligibility and caregiver income programs to take effect. Huffman describes this period as the most difficult hurdle yet, but also the one with the greatest potential payoff.

“We truly believe this move will be life-changing for Ryan,” Huffman said. “If we can get through the first six months, he will finally have access to the tools and therapies that give him a real chance at recovery.”

The family is now turning to the community for support as they work to relocate and secure the therapy Ryan needs to continue progressing.

“Ryan has worked so hard to get to this point,” Huffman added. “We’re asking for help to give him the opportunity he deserves—a future with hope, independence, and continued healing.”

Go Fund Me link is here