Bringing Fight Club to Schools: Honoring Ryan’s Legacy and Reaching More Teens

By Mike Davisson, Executive Director for Father’s Club

In December, we lost Ryan Whitney, 15-year-old from Olathe South High School. He was compassionate, deeply intuitive, and lit up every room he entered. From the outside, he seemed like the happiest kid—an elite athlete with great friends and a close family. But Ryan silently struggled with depression.

After he passed, he left behind a letter where he expressed pain, loneliness, and regret for not reaching out. He asked that others not make the same mistake.

In his mom’s grief, she searched for a way to honor Ryan—and that’s when she found Fight Club. She knew instantly: this is what Ryan needed. And what so many teens need.

Video – About Fight Club

What Fight Club Offers

Fight Club gives teens a space to be real, talk openly, and support each other—free of judgment or pressure. It’s helping Ryan’s friends and his youngest brother, Jake, heal. After their first meeting, the boys couldn’t wait to go back. Jake, just 12, now asks about it constantly.

It’s helping them find something real: Real confidence. Real connection. Real identity.

Expanding the Mission Through Partnership

To reach more teens, Fight Club has partnered with KidsTLC and Father’s Club. This partnership is critical—it allows us to bring Fight Club into schools, where teens need it most. Father’s Club connects deeply with school communities, while KidsTLC brings strong mental health support. Together, we’re building a network that helps teens before it’s too late.

Ryan’s legacy lives on in every teen Fight Club reaches. I know he’s proud. His life has purpose—and that purpose is helping others feel seen, heard, and never alone.

There will be more stories in the weeks and months to come where Father’s Club and Fight Club have partnered to make a difference in the lives of children!

To learn more about, support or inquire about starting a Fight Club chapter, please visit the Fight Club website.