PERRY, NY It’s in the workshop where Ryan McDanel feels most at home. Hours upon hours working with raw steel. Cutting, grinding, welding individual pieces that in the end form together as one piece of art.
“Someone comes to me with an idea, and I create it for them. Their vision in steel,” said McDanel.
Though still a young man himself, Ryan has lived a full life. He’s traveled all across the globe taking in different cultures of the world. An experience that not only shaped, but gave him inspiration.
“I really fell in love with working with my hands. And so when I came back to the states to go to college, I immediately wanted to go into art,” said McDanel.
After years spent mastering the trade, Ryan has found a way to make a living as a self-employed artist. A risky decision, but one that’s paid off. He’s created sculptures that have been showcased in exhibits and purchased for display. Things were going well for Ryan and his wife Kimmie, and last year, they decided it was time for their family to grow.
McDanel says, “We wanted to have a leap year baby. I wanted to have a leap year baby.”
Soon after they learned they were expecting. A February birth was on the horizon, though the due date was a few days earlier than the 29th. When they found out they were having a baby girl, they chose the name Mallory.
“In French it means, unfortunate one. And in German it means, warrior. So she’s the unfortunate warrior, which suits her perfectly,” said McDanel
In September Ryan and Kimmie went for an ultrasound to check on Mallory’s progress. It was then, that everything changed.
“They said, 'we think there’s something wrong with your baby’s heart,'” said Kimmie.
“One of the high risk O-B’s came in and said we need to get you on another machine, we can’t really see the baby’s heart, we think something’s wrong,” said Ryan.
What was wrong was that Mallory was essentially missing half of her heart. It’s called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, a rare heart defect where the left ventricle is severely underdeveloped, and will never function on its own. There is no cure, only medical attention and years of scheduled surgeries.
“We found out at that point that she would have a series of three separate surgeries within the first five years of her life, and if that goes well we found out that she’ll probably have heart failure at age 25 and need a transplant,” said Ryan.
Shocked and looking for answers, Ryan found relief back in his studio.
“In a cathartic manner I made a heart, an HLHS heart out of steel. And from that curve in the heart, the whole heart, I ended up with a flower design,” said Ryan.
A design that has now grown into the “Mallory Flower.” From that day forward, Ryan has been in his studio building flowers. And they’ve become popular, so much so that they’ve become a viable way of paying for Mallory’s medical expenses.
“You would do anything for your child, and for me, I can’t do anything but do what I know how to do. It’s therapeutic, it really helps me because I feel so helpless,” said Ryan.
On February 23rd of this year, Mallory Ryan McDanel was born.
“In that delivery room, we got to be a family,” said Kimmie.
Mallory has been at Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester since her birth, and will be there for the foreseeable future. The same has been for Kim, who has spent nearly every day of the past two months with her daughter.
“When you get wrapped up in the status of how she’s doing, it’s really difficult. But when I hold her and when she smiles at me, it’s almost like she’s telling me don’t worry mom, I’m going to be just fine,” said Kimmie.
The family still has a long road ahead. An original time frame of six weeks in the hospital has come and gone, and doctors continue to narrow down the best course of action.
Back home in Perry, Ryan spends his time in his studio, doing what he does best. A practice that began as an escape has now blossomed into something even more.
Other families have told Ryan the flower helps them to cope with a loss or struggle they’ve had in their lives.
“They have a hole in their own heart due to a lost child or a child with terminal cancer and it’s become a way for them to honor or have a memorial for their own child. It’s therapeutic not only for me, but it’s therapeutic for them to have that object and to display it proudly in their home,” said Ryan.
Kimmie adds, “Even though Mallory is in the hospital, she won’t one day, she’ll be coming home and eventually a way for Mallory to look back and, she’s not going to remember any of this, but realize how much love there is in the world around her.”
Mallory is still at Golisano Children’s Hospital receiving treatment. Ryan and Kimmie tell us she is growing strong and they appreciate the love and support.
Mallory is scheduled for her next surgery at the end of June.
If you would like to support the family or would be interested in purchasing a Mallory Flower, email Ryan directly at cooperingenuity@gmail.com