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Ryan's Hope Rescue

Thursday, November 15, 2012

An Interview with Maplewood's Ryan Burbank

"I plan on working hard so I can walk again," says Burbank, who will attend Saturday's "Ryan's Hope" benefit with his family.

Earlier this summer, 18-year-old Ryan Burbank -- a Maplewood resident and son of the township's Director of Public Works, Eric Burbank -- broke his C5 vertebrae in a pool accident, paralyzing him from the chest down. In September, Ryan returned home after a two-month stay at the Kessler Rehabilitation Institute in West Orange. On Saturday, HK Project and other friends are hosting "Ryan's Hope," a benefit to help the Burbank family (which also includes mother Carolyn and two brothers) with the purchase of a wheelchair van and alterations to their home. (The benefit is currently sold out; to make a donation visit the South Orange Elks webpage, or HK Project; click on the link that says “special instructions to seller” and type “Burbank”) On…

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