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TUSCOLA — Costuming has been a major part of Ryan Summer’s life for as long as his wife, Amy, has known him.
The Central High alumni, who turns 47 next week, has been with the 501st Midwest Garrison, a Star Wars costuming group, for about 20 years, she said. Ryan also founded his own superhero costuming group, “Secret Identity”, in Champaign, said father Dave Summers.
It’s not all fun and dress-up, either.
“He’s done lots of community events in both Champaign and the Peoria area and throughout Illinois ... for cancer patients, for children that have mental disabilities, from anything you can possibly think of,” Amy said.
Later this month, some of Ryan’s costumed compatriots will return the favor to help their friend in his battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).
The Summers family has organized a night of fun to help raise funds for Ryan and Amy. The event, “Rally for Ryan,” will be held at the Tuscola Moose Lodge, 807 E. Southline Road, on July 27.
The lineup includes live music by the Bement Country Opry Band and Whiskey River, food, raffle prizes from a variety of local businesses, a silent auction, a 50/50 drawing and photo ops with costumers, including the 501st Midwest Garrison and Secret Identity.
“We’re looking forward to a great day,” Dave said. There is no cost for admission.
Ryan’s sister, Sarah Summers, has also set up a GoFundMe campaign to help with medical bills and living expenses.
As of Monday afternoon, the fundraiser had raised about $12,800.
In discussing the origins of her husband’s diagnosis, Amy said Ryan started having “vertigo issues” last summer.
Then, in March of 2024, he became very sick and had a bad cough.
“Look, it sounds like you have pneumonia or something,” Amy recalls telling her husband.
One trip to the ER later, Amy was proven right. However, the doctors also noticed something else: Ryan had an “extremely low” white blood cell count.
Leukemia was identified as the cause of this, and after being sent to Chicago, he learned that it was specifically AML.
Sarah wrote on the GoFundMe campaign description that this is “a rare but aggressive type of blood cancer.”
“It was very tough on him initially, because they took him from Carle Hospital, by ambulance, to the University of Chicago hospital, and he spent four weeks there, doing three or four different chemo treatments,” Dave said.
“And he was just very weak through the whole thing.”
Amy said her husband’s current treatment regiment is going well, and he’s doing his best to eat and move around as he is able.
“He’s still not anywhere close to where he was before,” she said.
Still, “with some luck,” Ryan may be able to make an appearance at the July 27 rally, though he will likely not be able to stay for the entire event.
Dave said that Ryan lost a total 72 pounds during his illness but has started to put some weight back on and is getting stronger.
“We’re seeing a light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.
Ryan started another round of chemotherapy last week, Dave said.
He added that the long-term plan is for Ryan to go back to Chicago for a stem cell transplant, once he’s healthy enough.
“He has to meet certain goals from the transplant team that they just gave us actually on Sunday,” Amy said.
“And then once he reaches those goals that they would like to have, then he can go back up to get the transplant organized.”
The couple will have to stay in Chicago for a month of inpatient treatment and three months of outpatient treatment following the procedure.
Amy said that the hardest part of the four-month process, for Ryan, will be being away from their children.
When asked how the family was feeling, she replied, “Scared. Very scared.”
She continued, “They all just want their father back, to be back to normal.”
Still, she said that the family will stay strong and “rally behind him as best we can.”
The Summers have also found comfort in the community’s support during this time.
“The GoFundMe has been a very big success,” Dave said. “It’s really opened your eyes to how many friends are out there.”
He also said that the community has also helped out by donating raffle prizes for the rally.
Amy likewise said that there’s been an outpouring of “understanding and compassion.”
“I’ve always known that he’s had a heart of gold from the moment that I met him, and it’s a beautiful thing to see that I’m not the only one that thinks so,” she said.
