Remembering Ryan Weaver
With deep sadness, we share that Ryan Weaver — co-founder of SymfonyCasts, father, husband, beloved teacher, and friend — has passed away after a long and courageous journey with brain cancer.
Ryan was so much more than the face of SymfonyCasts. He was the heart, the voice, the spark of energy that made learning fun. His humor, warmth, and love of teaching touched countless developers around the world.
Ryan and SymfonyCasts
From the very beginning, SymfonyCasts (then KnpUniversity) was Ryan’s dream: to make learning Symfony approachable, joyful, and even a little silly.
He believed tutorials didn’t need to be dry or intimidating. Instead, he brought coding to life with jokes, stories, and a contagious enthusiasm that made you want to keep learning. That combination — deep expertise with playful teaching — became the soul of SymfonyCasts.
If you’ve ever laughed at a dad joke in a tutorial, or suddenly had a lightbulb moment while watching a video, that was Ryan’s magic at work.
A Teacher Who Made a Difference
Ryan never saw SymfonyCasts as just a business. It was his way of helping people. He poured himself into every script, every recording session, every course — always asking, How can I make this clearer? How can I make this fun?
Through SymfonyCasts, Ryan reached thousands of developers across the world. Many have shared that his teaching changed their careers, gave them confidence, and opened new opportunities they never thought possible. That ripple effect is Ryan’s true legacy.
Beyond the Videos
To those of us who worked with him, Ryan wasn’t just a co-founder — he was a friend. He cared about people first. He had a way of making everyone feel seen, of turning ordinary moments into something joyful, and of connecting deeply with developers in the community.
Even in difficult times, he found joy in teaching and in lifting others up.
Carrying His Legacy Forward
Though Ryan is no longer with us, SymfonyCasts will continue to carry forward the vision he started. Every new course, every tutorial, every bit of joy in learning will be in his honor.
We invite you to share your memories of Ryan — whether it’s a favorite SymfonyCasts moment, a video that made you smile, or a story about how he inspired you.
Ryan, thank you for filling our community with laughter, knowledge, and heart. You changed so many lives, and you will always be part of SymfonyCasts.
💙 With love and gratitude,
Leanna, Kevin, Victor, Danielle & Diego
Supporting Ryan’s Family
The best way to support Ryan's family long term is to subscribe — or continue subscribing — to SymfonyCasts.
Celebration of life services for Ryan will be held on Sunday, September 7, 2025, from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. at WildWood Family Farms at 7970 Snow Ave SE, Alto, MI 49302. (Families with children welcome). In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to be made in Ryan's memory to his son's educational and custodial funds through GoFundMe. More details are available in Ryan's Obituary.
21 Comments
Andreas-W
1 month ago
This is very sad. I've learned a lot in his courses and it was always fun watching and developing along with him. Ryan was unique in this genre. I'll miss this a lot. Condolences to his family and all who worked with him. Rest in peace Ryan.
n2o
1 month ago
So sad to read this. Thanks for everything.
You'll be missed, rest in peace Ryan.
antisha256
2 months ago
Sad to read this. Thank you for all you gave to us. Condolences to Ryan family ❤️
RobC25
2 months ago
This is terrible news.
I was following Ryan's tutorials from KnpLabs.
He was one of the best teachers on the web (and the funniest).
All my support to his family and loved ones.
OldCoder
18 days ago
Just now learned of Ryan's passing. He was a huge help in my Symfony training. Today I had to go back and review something and Ryan is still helping me get stuff right. I'm so thankful for the years he had. RIP Ryan, your training continues on!
Patriqeso
18 days ago
I’m just refreshing my Symfony skills after a while, and I’m shocked by this terrible news. RIP Ryan — God bless you, and thank you for your incredible dedication to educating us.
SY
23 days ago
I can't believe this..! He's such an amazing teacher - the way he explains things has really helped me improve and gain more confidence in Symfony. Thank you so much for your dedication; you truly are the best!
Owh wow, I read this just now. My condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and all the people who were close to him. Ryan made me fall in love with Symfony, and I'll never forget his passion, knowledge, and humor he brought with it.
Ousmane-N
1 month ago
What struck me the most the first time I heard Ryan in one of his SymfonyCasts videos was his enthusiasm, his passion, and the energy that radiated from every single word he spoke.
It was a real pleasure to follow his explanations.
A huge thank you to this great man for all his work, both through his courses and the various bundles he created.
The Symfony community has lost one of its most precious members today.
I am deeply saddened to hear of his passing 😔 and I extend my sincere condolences to his family ❤️🩹.
Rest in peace, Ryan.
I’ll keep a little piece of you in every one of my apps...
Davide-S
2 months ago
What a bad and unexpected news....
I loved his cast return in the doctrine relation course and I was hoping to ear him again in the future.
Ryan will be always in my memories and in my code...
I will miss you a lot
Gouchene
2 months ago
Je suis vraiment très touché,
Une belle voix éteinte trop tôt.
Un home formidable qui nous quitte
C’est doucereux
Mes condoléances à sa famille
Repose en paix Ryan
The great man with the great energy and a perfect vision of how the learning process should be done. It was great to work with him and feel that energy being part of it. Still can't believe that it happened, it's totally unfair!
Rest in peace Ryan, we'll never forget you!