Long Story Short: CT Brain Cancer Patient's Big Wish Is To Meet Taylor Swift

ROCKY HILL, CT — Like many other 20-year-olds around the world, Ryder Scelza is obsessed with all things related to pop star and cultural icon Taylor Swift.

He listens to her music constantly, owns tons of her memorabilia and would like nothing more than to have the chance to meet her.

Unlike most 20-year-olds however, he has an even deeper connection with Swift's music: it gives him the strength to continue fighting for his life.

In March 2022, Ryder was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a "highly aggressive form of brain cancer," according to his mother, Linda.

His family, residents of Rocky Hill, first became aware of Ryder's condition after he experienced drooling and facial weakness, which prompted a trip to an emergency room. They were initially told it was likely due to wearing a face mask and sent home.

Eight days later, Ryder was taken to a hospital again after "suffering a massive seizure," according to his mother. This time, he was told a 5-centimeter mass had been found in his brain and was diagnosed with grade 4 glioblastoma after surgery.

"That's the highest grade they have," Linda Scelza said to Patch. "That's the worst case scenario."

At first, Ryder was told he was "inoperable," according to his mother.

"The doctor literally looked at him and said 'get your affairs in order,' like within three weeks," Scelza said. " That's all [he had left]."

That night, Ryder went outside and wrote goodbye letters to his entire family.

Thinking there was not much time left, Scelza said she took to social media to share her son's story and seek help finding something, anything that could help her son.

She also sent her son's information out to over 30 hospitals across the country, hoping to find any kind of answers.

After taking some measures they received advice about, Ryder was later found to be operable by another doctor. Since then, he has undergone a number of hospitalizations, MRIs and surgeries.

According to Scelza, her son has visited a hospital or emergency room over 50 times over the past couple of years, and been admitted at least 30 times.

"My son is definitely without a doubt the most amazing person," Scelza said. "He's a fighter. Against all odds he is still here."

Ryder's most recent surgery was in September, after which he was unable to speak.

"He hasn't spoken in 86 days," Scelza said. "I haven't heard my son's voice in 86 or 87 days."

For now, Ryder writes down answers to questions and often speaks through his identical twin brother, Reno, who is still able to understand him much of the time, according to Scelza.

"I truly feel that voice is in there," Scelza said. "I feel it."

Long Story Short...I Survived

Ryder recently began doing speech therapy while at Gaylord Hospital in Wallingford, during which a speech therapist learned of his immense admiration for Swift and her music.

In response, the speech therapist designed all of Ryder's lesson plans around Swift. Physical therapists adopted a similar strategy.

"They all started talking to him about Taylor Swift, and they gave him life," Scelza said. "It just made him feel great and feel important. He's always been a really quiet kid. He never had friends outside of his brother. He never had like a sleepover at a friend's house or went to movies with his friends. It's always been him and his identical twin brother."

Though Ryder was already a fan of Swift before his diagnosis, his love and appreciation for her has only grown since then.

He would listen to her music during countless MRIs as a way of distracting himself from the long periods of pounding noise.

"If you've ever had an MRI, you know how those are," Scelza said. "He's had probably 50 of them, if not more."

It is a passion that is shared by not only his twin brother, but also his sister and his 7-year-old niece. They listen to her music, they root for the Chiefs and Travis Kelce, they've watched her concert movies together.

Even Scelza admits she was initially not familiar with Swift's music, however, she is slowly learning more about her and appreciating her as both an artist and a person.

"In the most terrifying time of our lives, Taylor Swift has actually brought our family very close together," Scelza said. "Outside of everything going on, her influence has brought our family together."

He and his siblings even got tattoos of the number 13, considered Swift's lucky number, on the same exact spots on their bodies.

"They're like 'Swifties' for life now," Scelza said.

All of Ryder's tattoos are related to Swift, including two paper airplanes on his arm and three dragons on his back. The most important tattoo, however, is his fist: the lyrics "long story short, I survived" spread across his arm.

"That tattoo, those words give him the strength that...I never could even imagine words giving him that kind of strength," Scelza said. "I'm learning more and more every day about how much this woman means to him and how much her words and her music mean to him."

At a time where Ryder can't speak, the lyrics to Swift's songs are often able to speak for him.

According to Scelza, her son's moods go hand in hand with the type of Swift's music he is listening to. During MRIs, he finds it helpful to listen to upbeat songs, while some of her sadder songs bring him comfort when he feels down.

"You literally just say the word 'Taylor' and his face lights up...he just smiles from ear to ear," Scelza said. "I just want to get this out there because I know she's a good person and I know she cares about her fans, and as much love and care as he puts into listening to her...it brings him joy beyond belief."

Wildest Dreams

Even Ryder's room at Gaylord Hospital is decked out in Swift-related merchandise and decorations, including blankets and pillows, a Christmas tree covered in Swift ornaments and paintings of the pop star created by his twin brother.

"I think everyone here has a soft spot for him," Joy Savulak, a publicist for Gaylord Hospital, said to Patch.

Savulak also noted everyone at the hospital is rooting for Ryder's dream of meeting Swift to come true.

"This isn't like it will just make him happy, this really will make his life," Savulak said. "Not it will make his day, not it will make his week, it will make his life. That is how much this kid adores her...I know everybody here is rooting for this thing to happen. We're trying everything. She's extremely popular. How can you get through to someone who is so popular?"

Scelza agreed her son would be beyond ecstatic if he were to somehow meet Swift.

"I think she's the only person in the entire word," Scelza said, "if she were to give him even five minutes of her time, that would be five minutes my son did not know that his diagnosis is terminal and there's no cure for it, and there's nothing anyone can do......I know that she's the only person who can make him not even think about brain cancer and what's going to happen. All this child does is worry about what's going to happen to his mom. He's amazing, he's so caring."

Though Ryder has continuously shown immeasurable strength during a very difficult situation, his mother admits he could really use a boost to his spirits right now.

"I feel like if he met her, and she took the time out of her day to meet my son and spend a few moments with him, I feel like that would take this level of fighting up to another level, that he just wouldn't stop fighting," Scelza said. "He's already proven to be a complete miracle. He's fighting so hard, and right now he is very weak and is very tired. It's hard for him to walk, he can't talk."

As they prepare to move Ryder to a small convalescent home in East Hampton, where he will spend most of the holiday season, Scelza is hoping for a Christmas miracle in the form of a visit to her son from Swift.

"It's such a magical time of the year," Scelza said, "maybe she'll make some magic for us."

Despite the challenges he has faced over the past couple of years, Ryder will continue to battle with the support of his family, hospital staff, all the lives he has touched during his hard journey and, inadvertently, Swift.

Long story short...he has survived, thanks in large part to Taylor Swift and the music that inspires him every single day.