Ryan Bowlds : 2018 Achiever of the Year

Twenty-seven-year-old Ryan is an incredibly gifted and tender-hearted young man that has attended Discover Goodwill’s Possibilities program since 2016. Prior to that, Ryan’s life was lonely and isolated due to Asperger’s, a developmental disorder diagnosed early in his childhood. During his school years, Ryan’s condition caused even greater anxiety as crowded classrooms and unfamiliar surroundings overwhelmed him.

Raised by his grandmother from birth, Ryan considered her “mom” until her passing. As a young adult, the broken but determined young man wanted to honor her decades of care and encouragement by achieving greater personal independence. At Possibilities, Ryan has thrived as he learns new skills and is particularly fond of the art center and gym. For Ryan, art is more than an activity; it is a way to express his thoughts and emotions.

One day, Ryan hopes to live independently with a family of his own and open up his own retro gaming store. In the meantime, he embraces each day as a new learning and growing opportunity—as illustrated by his new job at a pet store, where he cleans, stocks shelves and enjoys holding little creatures that in his own words: “Help bring light and hope into the world.”