Ryan Conklin has stated that September 11, 2001, was "probably the most important day of my entire life and it will always be." Though he was but a 16 year old kid, the events of that day had a pronounced impact on him. Ryan has said that he took it very personal and that it had filled him with a great rage and deep desire to enact vengeance. He wanted to do "something to punish somebody, in the most strictest ways."It was on 9/11 that Ryan decided to join the Army. There he didn't want a job that was a "cakewalk". He wanted a job where he knew he would have a gun in his hand, kicking in doors. "I wanted to be in the mud, pulling the trigger on machine guns, so I joined the infantry and that's exactly what I got."
Beyond that date in 2001, September the 11th continued to be meaningful in Ryan's life. On September 11, 2003, Ryan started Army basic training. On September 11, 2006, he came home to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, after serving a year in combat in Iraq.
Being in New York on September 11, 2008, during the taping of The Real World Brooklyn, was a cathartic experience for Ryan. He was gratified to be in the city on an anniversary. For him there was a sense of completing a circle. The horror that had triggered his mission had started there and now after doing something about it and getting his revenge, he was there to show that he and America had not retreated from the brutal attack. He demonstrated by his presence that he and others had been willing to sacrifice their lives, and to proudly bear witness that our nation is indefatigable in the defense of freedom. Having completed his mission and done his duty, Ryan felt he finally had a "clean slate" to restart his life.
Though terribly saddened by memories of things past, Ryan was at least heartened by being able to relieve himself a little of the burden that had troubled him for so many years of his very young life: "I feel like a little bit of a weight has been lifted off my chest."
Would that we could allay any remaining burden and give Ryan the peace that he has so rightfully earned.
