At just 7 years old, Ryder Hamrick has already endured more medical procedures than most people could imagine.

Ryder was born with severe lymphatic malformations, a rare condition in which abnormal fluid-filled growths can develop and interfere with important parts of the body.

In his case, the condition made breathing and eating incredibly difficult. His family says his airway was extremely narrow, reportedly around the size of a pencil eraser.

Ryder now relies on a tracheostomy to help him breathe and a feeding tube to receive nutrition.

His journey began before his family even had the chance to take him home. Ryder was born five weeks early by emergency C-section and required approximately 20 minutes of CPR and intubation immediately after birth.

Doctors were initially uncertain whether he would survive.

But Ryder kept fighting.

Over the years, he has undergone more than 150 surgeries and procedures as doctors worked to manage the complications caused by his condition.

For a child so young, hospitals and medical procedures have become a huge part of his life.

Yet behind all those numbers is simply a little boy who has continued moving forward despite challenges that began before he could even understand what was happening.

His story is a powerful reminder of just how much strength can exist in someone so small.

Ryder’s journey has never been easy, but every day he continues to show his family and everyone following his story just how determined he is to keep going. 💙