The Ocean—Five Years: Paying Tribute to Ryan McCutcheon

By Paula Green

November is Children’s Grief Awareness Month, highlighting the impact of loss on families and friends. For the McCutcheon family, this became personal on September 30, 2017, when 19-year-old Ryan from Franklin Park died in a car accident. Grief reshaped the lives of his parents, Bob and Dana, and his younger brother, Brett.

Ryan and Brett shared a love of music. After Ryan’s passing, Brett began writing his own music, resulting in the creation of an EP, which then led to the production of a documentary film. Both projects, completed over several years, helped Brett remember Ryan and cope with his grief. Together, the music and film became known as The Ocean—Five Years, and this creative process naturally evolved into further tributes commemorating Ryan's memory over time.

“The original EP was named The Ocean and was released on September 30, 2018, exactly one year after Ryan's passing. The Ocean is an allegory for the stages of grief and the waves of emotions that someone feels on their grief journey. It's not linear; it comes in waves. The re-release of the music on the second EP, The Ocean—Five Years, was released exactly five years later, on September 30, 2023. The new album was expanded to include two new songs and was rearranged with full orchestration. The documentary film was made during the recording of the album and was subsequently completed in early 2024,” said Brett.

“The initial idea was to make a music video for the release of the second album. We approached Jennifer Schlieper, director of the film and co-founder of Flying Scooter Productions, about the concept. She suggested a documentary to tell our full story and highlight child grief. Flying Scooter has supported us throughout,” Brett said.

“My mother and father were also part of the production team. My father played an active role in the recording and mixing of the music and the film at our family's recording studio, The Vault, on Neville Island. My mother is included throughout the film,” Brett added.

“Over time, The Ocean project drew in the wider community. Members of the Pittsburgh Symphony joined, as did Chris Jamison, a finalist from The Voice. Over the past 18 months, the film has received recognition at several international film festivals, including Best Documentary in Vienna and Audience Choice in Pittsburgh at the Three Rivers Film Festival. It was broadcast on WQED in July, which brought a wider audience, and it will soon be available to stream,” said Bob.

The foundation for this musical passion goes back even further. The journey began when Ryan and Brett discovered music early, following their father’s path.

Bob played trumpet before moving to guitar and built his first recording studio in his mother’s basement while in business school. This set the stage for a long career as a partner at PwC. As Ryan and Brett developed musically, the house brimmed with creativity. In 2016, the family built The Vault Recording Studio. It was a private space before Bob retired, and the Rhythm19 Fund at The Pittsburgh Foundation was created in Ryan’s memory. The studio then began commercial operations. Dana remains engaged at the studio and through the fund.

Brett is a band instructor for Mt. Lebanon High School. Ryan was a dedicated drummer and taught percussion at Hampton High School. For more information on The Ocean—Five Years, music and documentary, visit https://theoceanfiveyears.com/.