Ryan Joseph Carriere

Your dad will be remembered for many things in this life, a loyal friend, a devoted son, the greatest brother, if you had to go into battle he is the man you want beside you. But the most important thing he ever was, and ever did, was be your dad.

He was born on July 31, 1980 in Victoria, British Columbia. He had a giant head. It's still a wonder how he held it up as a child but your dad was always strong. Even when he was little. He loved sports and being outdoors. He spent countless hours creating backyard games to play with his brother Joel. He was always having fun, laughing and playing and surrounded by his many friends. When it came to them, he was selfless. He would have signed his life away for the people he cared about. If he had something and you needed it, it was yours. He would give you the shirt off his back without hesitation. He showed up for everyone he cared about.

The moment he became a father, his world changed forever. Nothing mattered more than the two of you.

How many times did you hear your dad say there are talkers and there are doers? Your dad chose to be a doer. Your dad would always show up. He would always protect. He would build memories. He would laugh and play and he would always put his family first. As the time went on his head somehow got smaller while his heart grew bigger. You could almost hear & feel his heart beating when he walked into a room. Everyone he loved felt it. But the truest place you saw and felt his heart was with you.

Brynlee, he admired your brilliant and curious mind. He loved your talent in dance and acting. He saw your intelligence not just as something special, but as something powerful. He valued the way you feel and care about other people and your kindness. He was endlessly proud of the person you are becoming.

Riley, he loved your fearlessness and your strength. He admired that you speak your mind with confidence and honesty. Your sensitivity is one of your greatest gifts — it means you feel deeply, love deeply, and understand people in a way many never will. You give the kind of hugs that make people feel safe and understood. Never stop giving them. The world needs that warmth, and your dad treasured every single one. You share his joyful love of life, and he saw so much of himself in you.

Your dad loved life — but loving life became even greater when he saw it through your eyes.

Disc golf. Every arcade he could find. Playgrounds. Pools. Quarries. The family chalet in Blue Mountain. Every activity he could discover, he did it beside you, not watching from the sidelines, but in it with you.

He used to say the best part of being a dad was getting to be a kid with you every single day. And in all of that fun, he was teaching you invisible lessons:

By showing up every day, he taught you commitment.

By putting family first, he taught you loyalty.

By being playful, he taught you joy.

By protecting the people he loved, he taught you strength.

By being a doer instead of a talker, he taught you action.

On February 6, 2026, your dad’s life on this earth came to an end. But everyone who knew him, understands something about that. Your dad had a heart too big for this world. It was that big heart that made him love so fiercely. That big heart that made him protect, laugh, show up, and build a life centered around you. That big heart touched everyone lucky enough to know him.

You are his legacy.

You carry his name forward.

You carry his strength.

You carry his joy.

You carry that big heart inside of you.

Every time you choose courage, loyalty, curiosity, laughter, or love — your dad is right there in you.

As your uncle — and as your dad’s brother — I promise you this: you will always have myself and others there for you for the rest of your lives. In every milestone, every challenge, every celebration. You will never walk without his presence. I will make sure you always know who your dad was and how deeply he loved you.

The greatest thing Ryan Carriere ever did was become your father.

And the world is better because he was here — and because you are.

Ryan Carriere’s Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Exchange Cultural Hub & Market, 5943 Sylvia Place, Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Like Ryan, this will not be a traditional service. It will be a celebration — of his life, his laughter, his loyalty, his selflessness, and most of all, his girls. We will gather to honor his memory the way he lived: surrounded by family, friends, and stories that reflect his big heart. Show up & buckle up, be ready to cheer and to cry and spend time with everyone who loved him. This one is for Ryan.

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As of April 28, 2026

A Letter to Brynlee and Riley - Part II

From Your Mumboo

To My Brynlee and Riley,

I want to share something important with you, from my heart.

I know loss. I have lived through it more than most. I have lost both of my parents, three of my four siblings, my childhood best friend, and one of my two sons, your amazing and loving father, Ryan. It is a kind of pain that never fully leaves you, but it teaches you something very important, how deeply we are connected to the ones we love.

Your dad believed in family more than anything. And he knew, especially during the hardest times, that family is what carries us through. You are my only grandchildren. You are my connection to my son, to your dad, and to a mother’s love that will never end.

Riley you were identical to your dad when you were born. And you have always carried his fearlessness to life.

Brynlee you have his emotions and kindness to people.

You are both the best pieces of him. So I want to make a promise and commitment to you.

I will remain here in Niagara Falls. I am not moving, I will never stop trying to see you. I will never stop being your Mumboo.

I will not worry that I may never hear you say “Mumboo” again. Like your dad, I will remain strong.

I will not let my heart break over the first Easter we didn’t spend together. Like your dad, I will stay resilient.

I will always remind you how incredible, brave, kind, and loving your father was. I knew him longer than anyone, and I will carry his stories and his spirit for you, always.

Your cats will remain with me.

Your toys, your games, your cards, and your pictures from your dad will remain with me.

I will never leave you. I will always be just around the corner. And in your dad’s name, and in the names of all the family we have lost, and all of the family we still have, I will never stop trying to see you. I will never give up. Every single day, I will stand up, stay strong, and wait for you.

Please always remember you have a family that loves you so much.

With all my love and strength forever,

Mumboo (Your dads mother -Diane Carriere)