Recovering Boy (6) Tours Camp Ripley

July 23, 2021

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Six year old Ethan Manson has been recovering from effects of hydrocephalus and a chiari malformation since he was 12 months old ... and wants to become a soldier one day. Well, he was given a glimpse of his soldier dream coming true with a tour of different facilities at Camp Ripley Training Center in Minnesota on July 21, 2021.

Top Left - Soldiers in the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion 136th Infantry Regiment, Minnesota National Guard, give Ethan Manson a tour of Bradley Fighting Vehicle.

Top Right - Ethan Manson looks out the top of a M1 Abrams Tank during his inquisitive look inside it.

Bottom Left - Ethan Manson enjoys an inquisitive look at a fire truck's control center near the driver's seat as a firefighter observes the focused boy.

Bottom Right - Firefighters stand with Ethan Manson in front of a fire truck after taking the happy boy on a facility tour.

Camp Ripley is a 53,000-acre military and civilian training facility operated by the Minnesota National Guard near the city of Little Falls in the central part of the state. 

Hydrocephalus ... is a condition characterized by excess fluid build-up in fluid-containing cavities of the brain, which results in developmental, physical, and intellectual impairments. It has no cure, but there are treatments that allow those affected to lead fairly normal lives with the condition.

Chiari malformation (kee-AH-ree mal-for-MAY-shun) ... is a condition in which brain tissue extends into your spinal canal . It occurs when part of your skull is abnormally small or misshapen, pressing on your brain and forcing it downward. Chiari malformation is uncommon, but increased use of imaging tests has led to more frequent diagnoses. A rare congenital condition in which the brain tissue extends into the spinal canal that causes severe headache and neck pain. After surgery, many of the symptoms of a Chiari malformation may improve, including headache, swallowing, facial pain or dizziness. However, some symptoms, especially those involving memory, muscle weakness or other spinal cord issues, can take longer to resolve, and may not return to normal functioning.

Image created by USA Patriotism! from Minnesota National Guard photos by Army Spc. Jorden Newbanks.