Soldier’s Family Urges Brain Injury Research

Ryan Larkin’s Family Seeks Brain Injury Research after his Tragic Death

Ryan Larkin was a decorated Navy Seal who served this country for ten years, through four combat tours. Following his death from suicide, the soldier’s family urges brain injury research. 

During his service, Ryan was exposed regularly to high-impact blast waves, which caused microscopic tears in his brain tissues.  The psychological effects of his combat tours and the sequelae from the undiagnosed brain jury led to his death by suicide in 2017. Ryan’s father, Frank Larkin, explains that his son’s death was due to delayed combat injuries. Heartbreakingly, Ryan dressed in his SEAL Team shirt and placed his earned medals around him before he completed suicide.  

Ryan was described as intelligent and a loyal friend with a dry sense of humor. During his service, he was a respected and dependable special operation combat medic and sniper. He received many military awards, including the Bronze Star.

Even in death, Ryan sought to serve his country.  He made it clear to his family in the months preceding his death that he wanted his body to be donated for research on traumatic brain injuries (TBI).  Ryan was 29 years old at the time of his death. A physician at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center conducted the post-mortem examination and discovered that Ryan had a severe degree of microscopic brain injury.  This type of damage is related to blast exposure.  

The Iraqi Missle Attack

In January of this year, a ballistic missile attack on American servicemen at air bases in Iraq resulted in 64 U.S. service members being diagnosed with TBI. President Trump downplayed the TBI injuries, calling them “headaches” and remarking that they were not very serious compared to other injuries.  These comments were countered by veteran advocates, including Ryan Larkin’s father, Frank. 

Frank Larkin is a former Navy SEAL and a retired Senate Sergeant of Arms.  He stood next to the president during the signing of an executive order aimed at preventing veteran suicides.  Mr. Larken wrote to the president explaining the invisible nature of the injuries sustained from high-powered weaponry and their concussive effects.  Mr. Larkin sought to convince the president that these brain injuries urgently need more research.

An Urgent Need for Further Research

According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 1.5 million Americans per year sustain a traumatic brain injury, ranging from mild concussions to injuries that result in death or severe disability.

Ryan Larkin served as a combat medic in Iraq, then Afghanistan, on consecutive tours over the course of a year.  Between 2008 and 2013, he deployed on four heavy combat tours. During those tours, he would fire powerful weapons, blast through walls and doors, and be exposed to IEP (improvised explosive devices) blasts.  

The vibrations from these cumulative blasts resulted in microscope tears within Ryan’s brain that were undetectable on imaging such as MRI.  The “invisible” damage results in a lack of diagnoses among living sufferers. Some of the symptoms that blast survivors describe are insomnia, headaches, trouble with concentration and memory, anger, and irritability.  The Larkin family says that after Ryan returned home from his third tour, he was different. His brain had changed. He suffered from headaches, could not sleep, and was quick to anger. His relationships suffered.  

By the time Ryan returned from his fourth tour in Afghanistan, his condition had worsened.  He was confused, anxious, and difficult to talk to. He suffered from repeated nightmares and was diagnosed with PTSD. Military physicians prescribed several medications in the quest to help Ryan’s symptoms.  Frank Larkin says that Ryan was prescribed over 40 different drugs in his two-year period of searching for relief. Ryan was losing hope in the military and the possibility that he would ever recover. He knew something was wrong with his head.  

In 2016, Ryan was honorably discharged from the Navy and referred to a VA hospital.  It felt like abandonment, according to his parents. Because there is a lack of definitive research concerning TBI, the family sought help through countless medical avenues but never received a definite diagnosis.  This left the Larkins disheartened, vulnerable, and desperate. They spent a lot of money seeking treatment for their beloved son, nearing bankruptcy. They would have done anything to help him.

Following Ryan’s tragic death, it became Frank Larkin’s mission to educate the public and advocate for TBI research.  His hope is that one day the disease can be diagnosed and treated while the sufferer is still alive and that through a holistic approach to care, better therapies can be developed.

Watch YouTube Video: Navy SEALs: Possibility of Brain Injury from Overtraining with Blasts or Explosions. In the following video, the Navy SEALS are trying to understand the causes of traumatic brain injuries from blasts and explosions overtraining.

North Highlands Brain Injury Lawyer