We don‘t think about death often, we just live our lives as best we can. But when it impacts us, our lives will never ever be the same. Life can be so cruel and unjust. Especially when faced with it twice, in the same year. This very sadly happened to Ryan and today we are sharing his heart-wrenching Bios story.
For us, it is so important to share real people‘s stories because it is about much more than just a product we sell and believe in. For us, it is about change and growth in one of life’s most difficult moments. Thousands of people all over the world have chosen to leave this world in a different way, and have been pioneers on this frontier. Ryan is one of them.
Ryan’s unique Bios story
Image source: Bios Urn®
My beautiful son Gage
My son Gage Bond Overton died on September 23rd 2017 from Synovial Sarcoma. There are really no words that can even begin to describe what we went and are still going through.
He was a brilliant, fun, and carefree young man who loved spending time with friends and family. He loved anime, the drifting scene, performance mechanics, and his 1995 Nissan 240SX. Gage was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma, a rare type of pediatric cancer, at 16 years-old.
He endured chemotherapy, radiation, and multiple surgeries and went into remission his senior year of high school. After graduation he moved to Orlando, Florida to pursue a career in performance mechanics and learn the ropes at a turbo shop.
Unfortunately, a few months later, he relapsed with metastases to his lungs and pleural lining, which was inoperable, and he tragically passed away September 23rd, 2017, at the age of 19.
“I had heard about the Bios Urn many years ago and it was something I decided I would want to use for myself.”
When my son died, I knew that I would want to use my portion of his ashes with the Bios Urn® and also get a tattoo in his honor. I started researching more and that is when I discovered the Bios Incube®.
The Bios Incube is tech forward which is something my son and myself were always into. It just felt like the right fit for my way of honoring and remembering him.
A special resting place
He was very into Japanese culture, art and cars. His favorite tree is the Japanese Maple, so that’s what I bought. I decided to get a small Japanese Maple baby plant as I am a newbie to plants and preferred to go for a seedling. The Bios Incube helps with that a lot by monitoring soil moisture and watering when needed.
I have his Bios Incube in my living room by a window with a candle light stained glass window my grandfather had made many years ago.
Image source: Bios Urn®
It took me a while to actually plant his Bios Urn in the Incube, so I kept it on a mantle. When we finally planted him, his sister and my parents helped get the soil ready. At first it was somber and then at the end we were all telling stories about Gage and happy to have his tree grow.
Image source: Bios Urn®
I am a Unitarian Universalist so in the evening I often light a candle and keep it close to his Incube almost like a small shrine of nature and the cycle of life.
Image source: Bios Urn®
In memory of Gage
Gage was very interested in biotechnology, especially gene-editing cancer research, and he wanted to contribute to a cure for his disease. Sadly, Gage’s cancer advanced quickly, and he was not eligible for t-cell trials as he had hoped. All of his tumors were donated to research, and we will continue to fulfill his wishes to contribute to a cure and help other pediatric patients with this fund.
His mother went on to start the Gage Overton Memorial Fund. Funds received will benefit childhood cancer research, sarcoma research, and local pediatric hospital oncology departments in Gage’s memory. You can find out more about it here and we would be so grateful for any contributions or shares in social media. That way we feel that Gage’s memory lives on by touching the lives of people around the world.
Image source: Gage Memorial Fund page
Each Bios story is unique
Each planting, each location, is specific to the individual and family, and no two Bios Urns® in the world are the same. That’s the beauty of these real-life stories, there is a sense of autonomy and choice. Dealing with loss is always hard, and tends to send life in an unknown and often confusing direction.
One thing we believe at Bios, is that people see the beauty of life expressed in nature, and in trees. How we connect with these cycles and these stages is personal into and of itself, but the important thing is that we all connect. Like Philippa’s own Bios Urn tree story. Our only hope is to provide comfort and a positive alternative to those who have experienced loss, and to provide a voice for those willing to share their unique stories.
Has Ryan’s Bios story impacted you in any way? Or maybe you have your own Bios story to tell We would love to hear from you in the Comments section below!
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