Ryan Wilk, 39, formerly of Lansdale.
The death of 39-year-old Ryan Wilk has sent shockwaves across the North Penn region, as his family and friends attempt to process his untimely passing.
Wilk, along with his newlywed wife, Elsa, were identified earlier this week as two of the six victims who died in a mid-air plane collision in Ketchikan, Alaska. The couple was vacationing on the Royal Princess cruise ship, and was preparing to move from Vancouver, B.C. to their newly purchased home in Utah.
“It saddens me to hear about the tragic loss of Ryan and his wife, Elsa,” said Pennsylvania State Rep. Steve Malagari. “We grew up together in the same neighborhood as kids, and our families knew each other. My thoughts and prayers are with Ryan’s family and Elsa’s family during this very difficult time.”
Wilk was a graduate of the Lansdale Catholic Class of 1999, and had reached extraordinary success in his field as a cybersecurity expert.
"The Lansdale Catholic community extends its deepest sympathy to the Wilk family. We have remembered him, as we do all our deceased alumni, in our daily homeroom prayers,” said James Casey, President of Lansdale Catholic High School. “It is truly tragic for not only Ryan's family, but also the family of Pat Coyle, who also died in an Alaskan plane crash in January. May their souls, and all the souls of the faithful departed, rest in peace."
His employer, NuData Security, offered the following statement:
“It is with deep shock and sadness that we must share that Ryan Wilk and his wife Elsa passed away, following a tragic accident whilst on holiday with his family.
Ryan joined NuData Security in 2014 and quickly became the face of the business in the cybersecurity space – which is how many in the industry may have met him. He taught us many things, including how important it is to face your problems with a sense of humor; something he had tons of.
Ryan was one of the industry’s experts and advisors on the principles, implementation, and use of continuous passive biometrics to prevent fraud online. In addition to his understanding of fraud and the security complexities, Ryan’s personable approach and depth of knowledge had made him a down-to-earth advisor and advocate for both brands and customers.
We have been extremely lucky to work alongside Ryan, and we will carry with us all the things we learned from him – as we hope those who met him will. He has been a cherished member of the team and will be deeply missed by his colleagues right across Mastercard and NuData.
We extend our most heartfelt sympathies to Ryan and Elsa’s family and friends. Our thoughts are with them at this most difficult time.”
His sister, Shannon Wilk, in an interview with television station KSL in Utah, described Wilk as an amazing man, son, husband, brother and uncle.
“We are completely devastated,” said Shannon Wilk.
Locally, Lansdale Borough Council President Denton Burnell, after being notified of Wilk’s passing, held a prolonged moment of silence prior to Wednesday night’s Borough Council Business Meeting.
“Please keep his family in your thoughts during this difficult time,” said Burnell.
Additionally, Michael Fagan, a former neighbor and close friend of Wilk’s, said his passing is a tragic loss.
“It’s a total shock,” said Fagan. “All I can say is Ryan was a great friend, an awesome person, and he will truly be missed.”
North Penn Now has reached out to several other close friends, and we will update this article should they decide to comment.
See also:
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Multiple Families Displaced by Walnut Street Fire in Lansdale
