He was born into a band of brothers, third of four and a large extended family. With his big blue eyes, golden ringlets and gentle soul he cautiously tested his world secure in the embrace of his family. 

He possessed an athletic talent and learned quickly that education came first, athletics a close second. The seasons did not change, the sport did and while he could not be considered an academic, he did manage his studies as an end to a means to participate in his beloved sports.

The firsts indications of concern occurred imperceptibly. An off hand comment, not enough to raise the hackles of the mother tiger, but enough to cause pause. A torn shirt, explained with a simple “boys will be boys”. 

The boisterous boy no longer hit the front door looking for a snack while front rolling across the living room or tossing a football dangerously close to delicate breakables. He would drop his backpack and run for the bathroom. After some gentle admonishment he reported that he couldn’t use the restroom at school. The reason given was a group of students would line up in front of the bathroom, taunting him to go in alone. He told me, “I can take 10 or 12 of them, but not the whole school.”

Meetings and appointments followed. Counseling and psychological testing commenced in no less than three states. The diagnosis, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Related to School. Basically, there had to be  something wrong with the boy, not the environment.

The Columbine High School massacre was a school shooting that occurred on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, murdered a total of 12 students and one teacher. They injured 21 additional people, with three others being injured while attempting to escape the school. The pair then committed suicide. 

Much discussion also centered on the nature of high school cliques, subcultures and bullying. I sat in meetings with school administrators where they insisted a tragic incident such as this could not possibly occur in our insulated community. 

The assurances provided no relief as the boy’s family watched him withdraw and become sullen and depressed. The incidents of bulling intensified and unfortunately included teachers. 

Two events transpired. One of the teachers that was involved in the bullying was promoted to administration and a student reported that another student had stated “If I could get ahold of a gun, I would shoot Aaron in the head”. I took the threat seriously. The school gave the threat no credence. 

The decision was made to relocate temporarily in order for our son to graduate. There is a social experiment where you are in the middle of the lake when your boat capsizes. You can only save one of your children. Who do you save? Our family lived that. The benefit was that the Niobrara County School District gently directed this injured child towards graduation. The price was great however. A fractured marriage splintered under the stress. I also broke under the ensuing pressure. 

In 2009 the Wyoming legislature passed a very aggressive anti-bullying law for Wyoming schools.  It required all school districts to develop and implement a plan for how to deal with bullying.  It involves both prevention and how schools deal with bullying. 

It is a start. But it takes a community to be observant. To teach our children that it is never appropriate to treat others with threats, psychological or physical. To protect those that are unable to defend themselves.

Aaron survived. He not only survived, he excelled. He is raising his beautiful family and engaged in a career where he saves lives and helps people. There was nothing easy about our journey. I suppose it tempered us in ways that only made us stronger.