Ryan Thompson, Friend

Ryan Thompson

Even as I write this, it is hard for me to comprehend that someone as fit as Aaron could have this type of diagnosis, but at the same time if there ever was a family and person with the faith to endure this trial it would be Aaron and his family.

I have been thinking a lot about our child hood and how awesome it was with Jeff and Aaron living next door, it is impossible to talk about Aaron with out Jeff being part of the story. We had our share of stories that is for sure, such as our apple tree and their crab apple tree. I like to think that I had something to do with Aaron having such a great baseball arm, after all I was always a small target and he could still find a way to pummel me with crabapples from 50 feet away, even as a kid he had a wicked crab apple curve. Or like the time we were in the back of Daves old Ford pickup truck in their drive way and thought it would be cool to hit cars with crab apples as they drove by, we never expected that someone would actually stop and get mad, but oh were we wrong, I still remember that moment when the truck that I am sure Jeff hit…slammed on the brakes and the guy got out and we took off, I hid in the carport, I have no idea where Aaron went, but I do remember the guy knocking on the door and his conversation with Kathy.  I knew we were in big trouble. I know she found Jeff hiding under the bed, not just under the bed but under the mattress if I remember right. We eventually were all brought to justice and had to earn a new windshield for the guy. To this day I have never known a crab apple to break a cars windshield, which while writing this makes me think maybe it was Aaron’s wicked fast ball… I still think the guy just used it as an excuse to get his already broken windshield paid for.

Among other things I remember playing whiffle ball at the Manor (Old Rock Church), baseball and anything else that had a ball involved.  Aaron and Jeff were the two that crushed the belief that my dad could throw a rock to California or hit a rattle snake on the mountain from our house after they saw him drop the rock behind him. I still remember wanting so bad to believe he could, but no, my reality was crushed… Living next to A and Jeff had it’s benefits, if I ever wanted a big bowl of cereal of mac and cheese I knew where to go, they always had an open door policy, or at least I thought they did… I would gladly announce my arrival with “look who’s here”! I guess somehow that made me feel important enough to be around that I could eat what I wanted, or most likely that Kathy and Dave made me feel so comfortable in their home that I loved announcing I was there. I will never forget how much Jeff and Aaron could eat, I remember vividly coming over and seeing them down an entire box of Wheaties, or sleepovers (yes we once did those) and that Aaron in particular could down at least 15-20 pancakes, I remember my dad always saying they both had hollow legs to be able to put the amount of food down they did.

I remember playing basketball on the small court in their backyard and how much fun that was, I remember one day we took the basketballs inside and were throwing them down the stairs and bouncing them off of Paul’s head, sorry Paul probably explains a lot… and how much fun we thought that was until Kathy saw what we were doing and then the fun ended rather quickly.

One thing I remember vividly about Aaron and probably because I am just the opposite, is that it did not matter where we were, if he found gum or candy on the ground under a table or in the ditch, he would pick it up or pull it off and eat it, not sure if this was only when the Wheaties ran out or if he truly liked gum and candy that much… I could go on and on about all of the adventures of having the best neighbors ever and how devastating it was when they moved, Paradise might as well have been on the other side of the veil as far as I was concerned since I was to young to drive there.  Despite the distance, I have many memories as well of “Thatcher Hotel” on the hill in Paradise, the fish pond, the air hockey table and Aaron and Jeff showing me how cool it was to hit golf balls off the top of the hill, and yes plenty of basketball and baseball and in the winter the fastest Thunder Tube in the world (Jeff and A will know what I mean).

I remember while Aaron was being scouted for baseball that he was determined to serve a mission regardless of the fame and fortune that could possibly be thrown his way (pun intended).  I remember waking up one morning to my alarm clock radio and hearing that Aaron had been pick by the Minnesota Twins, who had just won either that year or previous year the world series. I know he had told me that he did not think anyone would pick him because he had made it clear his mission was his priority. This just showed the character and faith that Aaron possessed. He was such an incredible example in every way shape and form, I am just surprised they did not make him mission president when he arrived in the field...

Aaron was always such an incredible spiritual giant, he was so firmly set in his faith that there was never a doubt that he would always do the right thing. I know he was an incredible example not only to me, but to everyone in high school, he was the only person I knew that was popular and respected from the coolest jocks to those that were introverts. The thing I remember vividly is that it never mattered who you were or what you background was Aaron was your friend and was always so interested in you, he had a way of turning any conversation away from him to who you were and always brought the best out in everyone, he lifted those that were down and made everyone who knew him feel better about who they were as a person, Aaron had a way of making you feel the way I imagine our Heavenly Father would want us to feel about ourselves. Aaron seemed to see people for who they really were and loved everyone immensely.  I loved how he would always choose those that were handicapped or not popular by the worlds standards to go to dances with him, I am an example of that… Lets just say that by todays standards we would never have gotten away with going to Senior Prom together, or at least it would not have been taken as a joke the way we intended it to be.  Our plan was hatched in the dark room during photography class, it started as a joke and quickly became a “lets do this”!  Aaron wore a long black dress, and because we could not find any woman’s shoes his size, he wore his converse skid grips, blue if I remember right, he wore a wig and lipstick, I will admit he was the ugliest date I ever had, but also the least expensive and the most fun.  We definitely got a great reaction at the dance and lots of laughs, for those that do not know me, I was a whopping 5 feet 3 inches at the time compared to Aaron’s towering 12 feet, felt that tall to me… Joe Campbell even let us get our pictures taken like every other couple there, Aaron was holding me in his arms in the pictures, I need to find those and post them.

Aaron, has had a huge influence on who I am today as well as my kids, I use Aaron all of the time as an example of someone that was very cool and popular to everyone and not because he partied or did what the crowds thought was cool but because he loved everyone and was friendly to everyone he came into contact with and made everyone feel better about themselves. I know his example has helped my oldest daughter many times, whenever she has hard choices to make she remembers examples I have shared with her about Aaron and tries to be like him, needles to say she has a broad group of friends because she loves people and is interested in them.  I remember when I was in the young mens presidency and trying to find someone to speak to our youth at the youth conference we were putting on. I contacted Aaron and he was more than willing to put his life on hold and speak to our youth, to this day I still have some of those youth tell me how much Aaron's testimony has affected who they are today.  I don’t think Aaron understands what a profound affect his testimony and who he is as a person has had on people, he is to humble to think about that, instead because he has lived so righteously and led such a great life it is the essence of who he is and being anyone different would be foreign.  Aaron is a true example of Christ in both deed and speech. I just hope that one day I can become half the person Aaron is.  I have no doubt that Aaron’s example proceeds him and will continue to do so.  We all have friends in life that we love and look up to, Aaron will always be that friend that I look up to and strive to be like, he is a true example of Christ and I am eternally grateful that he is and always will be my friend. Love you A!

Ry the fry guy