Ryan Duran Turney

Ryan Duran Turney, 21, passed away Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, in Hanoi, Vietnam. He was born on June 18, 1997, to Eric and Crystal Turney. Ryan adored his younger sister, Anne Marie Turney, and cherished his grandparents, Stuart and Dolores Ahrens of Greensboro and the late Jack Turney and Gwen Turney Tuchek (and her late second husband Richard Tuchek), of Salisbury. His love extended to his aunts and uncles, Greg and Kathy Turney and John and Kerry Ahrens. He equally treasured the time spent with his cousins Holly Turney Carpenter, Justin Turney, Jackson Turney, Caroline Ahrens and Hunter Ahrens. Simply said, Ryan loved and was loved by many more aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family and devoted friends. Ryan attended Beverly Hills Elementary, Shive Elementary, and China Grove Middle schools. He graduated with honors from Carson High School in 2015. While at Carson, Ryan proudly served as student body president and swam on the 200-meter freestyle relay that went to the State Championship in 2014. Ryan continued his education at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where he was a senior. By majoring in International Studies, Ryan intended to use his degree, his gift of communication and his passion for travel to make a difference in the world. This semester, he was studying abroad in Bangkok, Thailand. Ryan had an insatiable desire to see the world and learn about other cultures, both domestically and abroad. He traveled to 48 states, as well as five continents. From Iceland to Australia and from the Galapagos Islands to the Great Wall of China, his travels ignited a fire in his heart for human rights and the humane treatment of animals. This fire now burns bright with all those who remain behind to cherish his memory and be inspired to live their best life, just as Ryan did. Service: We will celebrate Ryan's life at the Gold Hill Historic Park, 35 St. Stephens Church Rd., Gold Hill, NC 28071 on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018 at 2 p.m. Ryan's passing will not be in vain. The doctors believe methanol poisoning may have caused his death. We are learning that this is a silent epidemic in Southeast Asia and Mexico. We hope by sharing this and bringing awareness to it, someone else's life might be saved. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Ryan's memory to the Clooney Foundation for Justice, the charity chosen by the Turney family to reflect Ryan's passion for social justice work. There is also an organization dedicated to spreading awareness, named for a young man who died: http://liamcharity.com. They have partnered with the Methanol Industry and a hospital in Hanoi to develop an education program in Vietnam. A scholarship in his name will be established soon and will also accept contributions in his memory. Summersett Funeral Home is assisting the Turney family. Online condolences may be made at www.summersettfuneralhome.com.