‘Helped So Many People:' Suburban High School Student, Soccer Standout Dies After Short Illness

The teen's parents say his sickness started with flu-like symptoms that kept getting worse

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The stories about their son give Jennifer and Daniel Plowman strength.

The couple from Crestwood knew they had raised a good person, but they are just now learning about all the goodness their son Ryan was spreading.

“He helped so many people in various ways – that I had no idea,” said Jennifer Plowman. “The stories these kids are telling me, some of the things coming out now are mind blowing.”

Ryan Plowman was a senior at Alan B. Shepard High School in Palos Heights.

A standout soccer player, he recently helped the school's team win the 3A regional title.

Then, in late October, Ryan became extremely ill and was hospitalized.

He was diagnosed with mononucleosis, also called mono, a contagious disease common among teenagers and young adults, especially college students.

 “Everyday he was in hospital -  he progressively got worse,” said Daniel Plowman.

Ryan also suffered from Crohn’s Disease, which is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that causes swelling of the tissues in your digestive tract.

Ryan would die on Saturday, Nov. 5 at Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

“You should not die from mono, but he had [the] perfect storm with Crohn’s…and he is was on drugs that gave him his life back but also suppressed his immune system – were he could not beat the mono,” Daniel said.

In 17 years, Ryan was able to touch countless lives. He’s also still making his parents so very proud.

“I feel like I have my wings,” Jennifer said. “He is with me and telling me mom, ‘you need to tell these people I’m going to be okay.’”

Ryan wanted to attend Butler University in Indianapolis after high school and aspired to be either a doctor or pharmacist. His wake will be held Thursday at the Crestwood Recreation Center from 3 to 9 p.m.

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