Will Ryan Has Passed Away

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Doll
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Will Ryan Has Passed Away

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Some of you may have heard the news by now, but Will Ryan, the voice of Eugene (and many others) has passed away.

From Katie Leigh's Facebook page:
"Hey, I lost one of my best buddies today to cancer. Will Ryan was the most talented person I've ever known in so many ways. I appreciate the letters I'm already receiving of support and love. I don't think I can respond to all of them. I need a little time. Please pray for his wife and family. Do yourself a favor and go listen to some of his music, read one of his books, or watch some of the movies or TV shows he was in. That's what I'm doing.
p.s. he was only 72--don't believe everything you read on IMDB!"

From Chris Anthony Lansdowne's Facebook
"My heart breaks tonight as I share the sad news about my dear friend Will Ryan passing, he’s been my friend and co-actor on Adventures in Odyssey for almost 35 years.
So many of you heard his voice all over the world, he was a Disney icon!
There will never be another “Guy” to play the part to my “Madge” on Adventures in Odyssey. I love you with all my heart and I will miss you….
goodbye dear friend. (your wife Madge)
😔💜"

From Phil Lollar:
"My AIO friends,

It is with the deepest sadness and sorrow that I must tell you that our dear friend and Will Ryan has died.

We will be releasing a more formal announcement soon, but for now, please pray for Will’s family and friends as we cope with this tragic loss, and for courage and wisdom for us on AIO as we chart a course through the difficult days ahead."

I'm shocked and heartbroken as Im sure you all are. I never had the chance to meet him, but I know many AIO fans who have and have said how nice and funny he was. It's been a hot minute since I listened to AIO but I think I'll play some of my favorite Eugene episodes before I go to bed tonight.
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Marisa
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Heartbreaking.
"Would you like a muffin?" -- Arthur Dent
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Arkán Dreamwalker
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They have released the official announcement.

https://www.adventuresinodyssey.com/far ... will-ryan/

For the death of someone who brought to life a character of so many words, I find myself speechless. May he rest in peace.
~ Walker in Dreams
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I've just been saying it feels like a loss of a family member. I'm honestly in shock. This hurts, and I feel so sad for all the Odyssey folks and of course his family. I never met him either, but in all his interviews he was so funny and brilliant. I just love hearing his voice. It's a true and painful loss. Before we even found out this news, I was drawing and I can't remember the last time I drew Eugene, but I drew him. I might post it tomorrow if I'm feeling up for it. I hope he passed knowing how loved he was and how much beauty he brought to our childhoods.
"Let me get this straight. I bet all those non-friends of yours try to embarrass you about your love for that stuff, right? So, you almost feel like you have to hide your treasures away and can only take them out in secret on rainy days when your mom goes to the store to get more liver and nobody is around to berate your sensitive spirit. Is that what you’re saying?" -Jay Smouse
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I never personally knew Will so I feel a bit undeserving in saying that this one really hurts. My heart goes out to those who knew and loved him best; they'll be in my prayers. Will forever has such a massive place in my childhood and heart, and I'm so grateful for every treasure he left us. I've been a bit anxious lately so literally just last night I actually found myself starting his and Katie's podcast (Tell Ya Later) and my first thought was how comforting it was to hear Will Ryan's singing. I had no idea.
*Finger guns aggressively*
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Polehaus53
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This is extremely saddening news. I'm in shock, absolutely speechless. I never got to meet him, but I have heard positive things from those who have. His work on AIO and other projects are things which I've enjoyed seeing and will be remembered by generations to come. Adventures in Odyssey won't be the same without him.
Will Ryan will definitely be missed. :cry:
-Signed, PolehausFifty-three

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Wow. Just saw this and had to check the official Twitter feed and Facebook pages to check it was true. Eugene was always my favourite, his close friendship with Connie, his sometimes comical friendships with Tom and Bernard, His relationship and marriage to Katrina, his father/son like relationships with Whit, Jack and Tom. His overall development from a simple genius to a loving husband, father, friend and of course Christian role model was the most brilliant of all. Now, like with Walker and Dave, I will want to cry with almost any episode with Eugene in them. I could hear Will's age starting to peek though the cracks, but I figured he would die before retiring from Odyssey, though now I REALLY wish he hadn't.

I know the show has and could go on without him, but I kind of hope it doesn't. Whatever happens, Odyssey will never be the same after Will's last episodes have aired. But like every actor, Will (will) be around for decades to come, in one way or another, and though it is hard to believe, for Will, and Eugene (and Harlow and Officer Harley!) the best that's yet to come, is finally here.

I've never cried over and actor/actress passing away, but this may be the first time, as I never realised until now how much Eugene has actually helped me get through some of the toughest things one could, a piece of my life is gone, but I go on knowing that I will one day meet him and all the other people who bring me Joy in Heaven.
For now, it seems The Time Has come to say a final farewell. it's the End of an Era, The Last Days of Eugene Meltsner have come and gone, and We'll all miss him.
Condolences to all Will's Family and Friends, may he always be remembered for the joy he brought to this world.
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We posted a special blog post announcement yesterday here: https://www.odysseyscoop.com/blog/2021/ ... er-19-2021. I believe Will Ryan's passing is affecting countless people, and I have been blessed to follow the antics of Eugene Meltsner since I was six years old.
Jacob Isom | Webmaster, odysseyscoop.com
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I'm speechless. This is so sad and so surreal. :boohoo: He has impacted so many people through Adventures in Odyssey and I know he will be greatly missed. :cry:
"Next up, Mark Morgan's message to all math maniacs in the middle school is meaningful if you mingle by the mezzanine for a momentous mix of methodological mayhem and a menagerie of multiplicative inversions. Ha ha ha! I bet I could say this backwards. Inversions multiplicative of menagerie a and mayhem methodological..."
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Patterson
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I cried so hard when I heard the news. It'll be a while before I can hear his voice again without crying(heard Eugene on the Basset wedding episode the other day and needed to stop the episode for a bit). Does anyone know if Will was a christian? I believe so, but it would be super comforting to know for sure. When Alan Young(Jack Allen) died, I scoured the internet hoping to find anything saying if he knew Jesus. These guys taught me how to accept the loss of Whit (albeit years afterward)in "Gone...but not forgotten", and helped teach me about God, I need to know if I'll ever see them in eternity with God.

I miss you Mr Ryan, thank you for bringing to life Eugene, Harlow, and Elmo Aardvark. Thank you for your podcast and book with Katie. Wish I coulda met you in person, hope to meet you in the presence of Jesus.
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I'm pretty sure he wasn't a Christian, sorry. I also feel like Allen Young wasn't, but I don't know for sure. But honestly, maybe take that news to reflect on your theology? I understand it's easy to believe people go to heaven or hell when they die, but quite frankly, if I'm supposed to believe truly loving people like Will are in hell right now, that's not a faith I can be a part of, and that's not a god I can worship. Sorry, I swear I'm not trying to make this a debate, I really don't want to debate anything with you. But I know the idea of people we love being in a bad place for eternity just makes the grief worse, and I don't think that perspective is warranted. I really hope you can find peace with all of this, and I'm glad you're letting yourself be sad. That's something I'm not always great at doing. :)
"Let me get this straight. I bet all those non-friends of yours try to embarrass you about your love for that stuff, right? So, you almost feel like you have to hide your treasures away and can only take them out in secret on rainy days when your mom goes to the store to get more liver and nobody is around to berate your sensitive spirit. Is that what you’re saying?" -Jay Smouse
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greatkindheartedbush wrote:
Fri Nov 26, 2021 5:19 pm
I cried so hard when I heard the news. It'll be a while before I can hear his voice again without crying(heard Eugene on the Basset wedding episode the other day and needed to stop the episode for a bit).
I'm with you on that. I was doing fine until a got a work related email the other day saying that someone called Katrina wanted to meet up, that's when I broke down. ever since I've hardly gone five minutes without thinking about all the episodes he did. then someone surprised me with an AIO album as an early Christmas present - album 44 of all things!
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12/2/2021

Note: This was made as a letter to Odyssey's team, and while I was looking at the Odyssey Club Website. Please note some of this may not make sense due to this being meant to be shown in multiple places. Also, this was written on December 2nd, so it's a few days old. Again, this is a letter I wrote to the Odyssey team, so please read it from their perspective. Thank you.

I was sitting here at my desk doing homework when I remembered a new Odyssey episode that came out yesterday. So I rushed over to the club website, and as I was looking through the news, I found out tragic news. The beloved actor, Will Ryan, had passed the week previous. At first, I was confused and didn't want to believe what was happening. Hoping it was all just a big prank. A joke. But yet, I knew I couldn't hide from the truth. I am extremely heartbroken over this tragic loss of one of my favorite Odyssey actors, and general voice actors as well. So I just want to write this as my story of how much I love Will and will miss him and possibly Eugene, dearly.

I started listening to Odyssey at the end of March last year. As you probably know, the Coronavirus pandemic was in full swing at that time. Everyone was locked inside with nothing to do. That's how I found Odyssey. My mom noticed that at the time, I began to listen to audiobooks on Audible, and she wanted to find some Christian stories for me to listen to as well. We tried a few, but none really seemed to fit me. They were all either too boring, too long, or too short. Or they just didn't have a good overall storyline. But then, my mom looked through Focus on the Family's audio dramas and found me a place that I can now call home. Eugene was one of the first people I listened to when I started listening, with Connie being first(I know, I'm supposed to say Chris, but Connie was introducing the episode). The episode was Breaking news in album 69 I think. Anyways, that was when I heard Eugene for the first time. And as you can imagine, I didn't understand half of what he said most of the time. But I knew he'd be a character I would remember. And once I got the club membership as a finishing school gift, my love for Eugene soared. I was able to learn about him, grow with him during his spiritual battles, and laugh and all the jokes he made, Intentionally, or unintentionally. He quickly became one of my favorite characters in the entire show, and I truly mean that, glasses and all. And for everything I've just said, now I would like to thank a few people:

Thank you, mom, for persuading dad into letting me get the Odyssey Club Membership so I'd be able to spend hundreds(yes hundreds) listening to God's word told through characters that will stick with me for the rest of my life.

Thank you to the person who sent the letter to Odyssey, telling them to base a character off of your dad. If you didn't suggest this to the Odyssey team, we wouldn't be where we are today. Even if that means we have to listen to Eugene lose his keys a little more than a few times.

Thank you Odyssey team. For everything. This show, and its morals, and meanings, and characters, and everything else would be nothing if we didn't have amazing people like you to create these wonderful things for me, and everyone else who feels the same way.

And last, but definitely 110% not least, Will Ryan. You brought so much love, and character, and care to Eugene. You made him into a figure that will remain with me for the rest of my life. You created someone who is one of the most by far loved people in this community of thousands of people of all ages. You inspired thousands to make fan art, send letters, and even learn the ukelele because of the impact that you had on these people's lives. So thank you. Thank you some much for everything you did for us. It wrecks my heart that you are no longer with us, but I know that no matter what, in the wise words of John Avery Whittaker..."The best is yet to come."
Wooton: Penny?
Penny: Yes?
Wooton: Will you marry me?
Penny: *gasp* WHAAAAAAAT?!?!?! O.o
THIS MOMENT MEANT THE WORLD TO ME :inlove: :inlove: :inlove: :inlove: :inlove: :inlove: :inlove:
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Aw thank you for sharing, that's such a beautiful sentiment and I didn't know how new you are to the Odyssey fandom, so welcome it's been very good to have you :)
"Let me get this straight. I bet all those non-friends of yours try to embarrass you about your love for that stuff, right? So, you almost feel like you have to hide your treasures away and can only take them out in secret on rainy days when your mom goes to the store to get more liver and nobody is around to berate your sensitive spirit. Is that what you’re saying?" -Jay Smouse
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Marisa wrote:
Sat Nov 20, 2021 1:55 am
Heartbreaking.
That is just awful. One of my most favorite characters. I wonder how they will find a replacement!

@pennybassett
I'm new to this website. Can you tell me what it is for and some more info on it? You seem to have been here since 2016, so I thought you could probably tell me.

djchatswithu wrote:
Sun Nov 28, 2021 6:56 am
greatkindheartedbush wrote:
Fri Nov 26, 2021 5:19 pm
I cried so hard when I heard the news. It'll be a while before I can hear his voice again without crying(heard Eugene on the Basset wedding episode the other day and needed to stop the episode for a bit).
I'm with you on that. I was doing fine until a got a work related email the other day saying that someone called Katrina wanted to meet up, that's when I broke down. ever since I've hardly gone five minutes without thinking about all the episodes he did. then someone surprised me with an AIO album as an early Christmas present - album 44 of all things!
Yes, I totally get this! It was so sad. I am so sad that I won't be able to hear him in the newest album!
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jubihm09 wrote:
Sat Feb 19, 2022 4:56 pm
Yes, I totally get this! It was so sad. I am so sad that I won't be able to hear him in the newest album!
At least Eugene will be in a few new episodes that were recorded before Will Ryan's death. Part 1 of "As Buck Would Have It" is supposed to air on March 19th if AioWiki is correct.
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Patterson wrote:
Wed Feb 23, 2022 10:10 pm
jubihm09 wrote:
Sat Feb 19, 2022 4:56 pm
Yes, I totally get this! It was so sad. I am so sad that I won't be able to hear him in the newest album!
At least Eugene will be in a few new episodes that were recorded before Will Ryan's death. Part 1 of "As Buck Would Have It" is supposed to air on March 19th if AioWiki is correct.
Oh that's good! I was so worried he wouldn't be in any of the more recent ones!😯
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jubihm09 wrote:
Thu Feb 24, 2022 12:58 pm
Patterson wrote:
Wed Feb 23, 2022 10:10 pm
jubihm09 wrote:
Sat Feb 19, 2022 4:56 pm
Yes, I totally get this! It was so sad. I am so sad that I won't be able to hear him in the newest album!
At least Eugene will be in a few new episodes that were recorded before Will Ryan's death. Part 1 of "As Buck Would Have It" is supposed to air on March 19th if AioWiki is correct.
Oh that's good! I was so worried he wouldn't be in any of the more recent ones!😯
"As Buck would have it" is definitely worth listening to! I can't quite word it but Will's scenes with Audrey felt a lot more like more his scenes with Katie, they seemed like they were more than just two people acting together, they were really enjoying themselves. it makes me sad we might not hear that energy again. And the ending was just about perfect had it been Will's last episode as Eugene.
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Suzy Lou Foolish
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Absolutely heartbreaking.
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Patterson wrote:
Fri Nov 26, 2021 5:19 pm
I cried so hard when I heard the news. It'll be a while before I can hear his voice again without crying(heard Eugene on the Basset wedding episode the other day and needed to stop the episode for a bit). Does anyone know if Will was a christian? I believe so, but it would be super comforting to know for sure. When Alan Young(Jack Allen) died, I scoured the internet hoping to find anything saying if he knew Jesus. These guys taught me how to accept the loss of Whit (albeit years afterward)in "Gone...but not forgotten", and helped teach me about God, I need to know if I'll ever see them in eternity with God.

I miss you Mr Ryan, thank you for bringing to life Eugene, Harlow, and Elmo Aardvark. Thank you for your podcast and book with Katie. Wish I coulda met you in person, hope to meet you in the presence of Jesus.
I was looking throught the cast section of The Official Adventures in Odyssey and read the Alan Young interview and this was how he answered one of the questions:
Q: What inspires you?
A: My faith.
So based on that information I believe Alan Young was most likely a Christian, hope this partly answered your question.
Eugene was also one of my favorite characters on Adventures in Odyssey.
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