Ryan Fredrick Carlson was born on July 18, 1978, in Edina, Minnesota the son of Fredrick and Gloria (Miller) Carlson. The family lived in Columbia Heights after his birth and in 1981 moved to Evansville, Minnesota. Ryan attended Evansville High School where he played on the football team and graduated in 1996. After graduation he worked as a welder at CASE International and then as a cook at “The Peak”. Ryan loved to cook and was known for his delicious steaks.