Decades later, Ryan had a favorite picture on his desk at the ranch. Buffalo Bills Coach Rex Ryan released the following statement about his father’s death: "He was many things to many people--outstanding coach, mentor, fierce competitor, father figure, faithful friend and the list goes on. “She’s a saint,” Ryan told The Times in a 2005 interview at his horse ranch in Shelbyville, Ky.“It’s a terrible disease. But there was a completely different, far more sensitive side to Ryan, who died Tuesday at age 82. While the Ryan boys thought of Joanie as their second mom, their mother is Ryan’s first wife, Doris.

Source: Los Angeles Times June 28, 2016 18:22 UTC