Friendship’s power is truly amazing. We often go out of our way to make our pals smile. But, what if we held the power to impact not just our friends’ lives, but also the lives of people we don’t know? Would we use it wisely? It’s a thought-provoking question, indeed.
When Ryan Mitchell decided to step in at the last moment for a crucial job on his best friend’s wedding day, he was clueless about the eerie revelation that awaited him. What began as a kind gesture for a day filled with joy and happiness, soon spiraled into an unexpected and frightening twist.
Meet Ryan Mitchell
Ryan Mitchell was a native of Fresno, California, and during his teenage years, he would often be found hightailing it home after school. He was eager to jump into online gaming sessions with his buddies and dive into his explorations of coding and technology. His fascination primarily revolved around professional cameras and photography gear.
Ryan achieved excellent marks in computer science and graduated at the top of his class from UC Berkeley. Yet, after spending a significant portion of his life in front of a computer, he started to feel a sense of emptiness, as if he was missing out on something important.
Favorite Hobby
Although Ryan was aware that his skills in technology could offer him any job he desired in that industry, his heart was longing for something different. For the past 22 years, he had been residing in California but had not had the chance to venture out and see more of the world.
Ryan was aware that the world was so much vaster than his own small life, and inspired by a sudden impulse, he decided to go on a journey to South America for the fixed time of three months. While Ryan anticipated that this adventure would broaden his perspective, he couldn’t predict how immensely it was about to transform his existence.
Seeing the World
With only his backpack for company and his camera gear for documenting, Ryan went on an adventure by himself across six different nations. He took pleasure in creating small film clips of his experiences in each of these places. His photographic talent, that he had diligently worked on improving, resulted in the footage seeming quite high-level and professional.
It started dawning on Ryan that a three-month span would hardly be sufficient to visit all the places he had in mind. However, the affordability of travel was an issue. So, he devised a strategy to continue with his global exploration and simultaneously earn money to fund it.
Seven Years Later
Ryan started putting his camera and drone skills to good use as a self-employed photographer and videographer in every country he visited. He enthusiastically presented his impressive work compilations on social media platforms, and before he knew it, he was being sought after in every city on his itinerary by clients needing top-notch professional videos.
Ryan was able to sustain his traveling lifestyle thanks to his passion that fueled him, even when he was far from home. What was initially planned as a three-month journey soon evolved into seven incredible years of adventure and discovery. His travel itinerary led him from the vibrant landscapes of South America all the way to the exciting mysteries of Asia. Eventually, the realization dawned that his nomadic routine had an expiry date. So, just before he hit the significant age milestone of thirty, Ryan made a firm decision. His adventurous trail ended, and he chose to return to his roots in California.
Making the Sensible Move
For a period of seven years, Ryan had traveled and explored, learning about the world in a way he couldn’t have even dreamed of. Even though he was aware that the wise decision would be to settle down and focus on a stable profession in the field of computer science, he just couldn’t find the enthusiasm for it. His heart was clearly not inclined towards it.
With a bit of a reluctant heart, Ryan agreed to take on what, at one point, he would’ve seen as his dream role. The position was in IT consulting, an area he was knowledgeable in, carried a good salary and offered security. But just seven days before he was to begin this new chapter, an unexpected phone call arrived. It was from his old pal Ethan, who had a big favor to ask, one that had the potential to turn Ryan’s life path upside down.
Surprise Phone Call
On one Wednesday afternoon while he was busy getting ready for his new job in consulting, Ryan got a phone call from Ethan. It was unusual because Ethan usually liked to communicate through text messages instead of making calls. But Ryan picked up the phone right away, knowing that Ethan’s wedding was just around the corner–that weekend, in fact. So, Ryan figured that whatever Ethan had to say must have been pretty important.
As soon as Ryan answered the call, he could immediately sense the panic coursing through his old high school buddy on the line. Ethan blurted out, “Hey man, everything’s going wrong and I don’t know what to do, you’ve got to help me.” His voice reeked of desperation and Ryan knew he had to act swiftly to help his friend.
