What started as a headache then quickly resulted in a seizure has now changed East Algebra teacher, Ryan Gladson’s life. Gladson was diagnosed with a brain tumor and is now recovering from brain surgery.
This occurred on Monday, February 24

“I had a headache, but my co-teacher, Mr. Spaine, noticed I was acting off and wanted me to go see the nurse. I went to see the nurse and she became increasingly concerned, so much so that they ended up calling an ambulance. I had a seizure on a stretcher on the way out to the ambulance. After tests ran at the hospital, they discovered the brain tumor was the cause of the seizure. I had brain surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible,” Gladson said.
These were thoughts crossing East Algebra teacher, Vidal Spaine’s mind when he saw Gladson that day because he was not acting like himself.
“Man, that’s not you,” Spaine said. Gladson had to wait to find out what his prognosis was, and it ended up being good. “Once they figured out there was a brain tumor, most commonly the tumor is grade 3 or 4 which are fast growing. Mine is grade 2 which is much slower growing. There was concern that the cancer could have spread through spinal fluid, but all of those tests came back clear,” Gladson said.
Gladson’s faith in God reassures him that his illness could’ve been worse. “I fully believe that the prayers from East staff and students as well as my own family, friends, and church have been instrumental in my healing and belief that God still has plans for my life,” Gladson said. Gladson has been teaching at East High School for fifteen years. Prior to that he also student taught and subbed in the district for two years. He has created lots of relationships with his colleagues. East Associate Principle, Anthony Gianaras is a very close friend of Gladson and describes him in a few words. “Great teacher, leader, and great with kids,” Gianaras said. Gladson is patient when it comes to teaching and dealing with difficult ideas. “He knows how to explain hard concepts,” Gianaras said. Gladson is known for his caring nature and willingness to help his students and create relationships with them. His absence has affected his student’s educational performance. “Mr. Gladson’s absence has made learning so much harder because with the ins and outs of teachers and the fact that the teachers they bring in aren’t even math teachers, and we are still encouraged and expected to do well. The tests just keep coming even when we aren’t understanding or learning,” junior Laila Fisher said.