Everett Bentley Ryan Jr. 1921-1937

This is a grim story but I believe it speaks to Gloucester culture in a way that might help us understand a little bit more about our dad Paul M. Ryan Jr.

Everett Junior was 15 years old  in 1936 when he was accidentally shot in the head by his friend while sitting in his own living room. The "Boys Were Chums" according to the Gloucester Daily Times report from October 2 1936, and young Walter McFarland fled Gloucester in a panic after the shooting.  They were next door neighbors, and were both on the football team coached by Nate Ross (the same coach Uncle Tim Ryan had several years later). 

Walter went missing for about a day despite a massive search effort.  The story he reported to the newspaper upon his return has holes big enough that you could sail the F/V Tuna.Com through but apparently everyone was happy enough that he was safe that it was accepted as told.  Walter recalls he walked to Boston, got a job which earned him the 75 cents he needed to take the train back to Gloucester after he learned his friend had not died.  He went to the Gloucester Police and turned himself in despite not being recognized by anyone there even after this massive search effort. 

After he learned that Everett Jr. might recover after all, the police Captain told Walter to "Snap out of it, you have to play football" At the police station, "Coach Ross took MacFarland in hand, and arm in arm, they went out of the station to meet the football squad" (GDT Oct 3 1936) And, in fact, it was reported that he did play that very afternoon.  Football ruled the day even with another team member on the brink of death.  There's no report on how the team did that day.....

Everett died six months later due to meningitis and lasting effects of the bullet wound.  I imagine those six months must have been nothing but hell for his family.  His dad, Everett Sr., had committed suicide just about 2 years earlier and had apparently not been a presence in his children's lives for some time prior.  His mother had just recently remarried and at least 3 siblings survived him. 

The community response to this event and the role football played echoes the traditions that the Gloucester community represents.  I find this fascinating.  In today's world, I'm quite sure the story would have ended a bit differently.  I would hope there would be community support for both the victim and for the teenager shooter.   I'm hoping the shooter wouldn't be told to "Snap out of it" but who knows??????

This story opened my eyes and it dawned on me that Dad's personality probably didn't fit well in the Gloucester culture of the day.  Perhaps St. Bonaventure and rural New York were just what he needed.  I've wondered how and why he made his life so far away and so differently and perhaps this gives us a clue.