05/14/2025
These are the days I am drowning…
Aiden Renner Reese was born on June 4, 2007, in Norman, Oklahoma. As a toddler, Aiden was in to everything and always on the go. He moved to northwest Oklahoma City when he was three (3) years old. His mother decided to sign him up in the spring for T-Ball at Putnam City Optimist (PCO) club, so he could burn some energy off and make new friends since they just moved and new no one. Aiden was assigned to the PCO Sharks, and that began his lifelong love affair with the game. Surprising his parents, Aiden was actually pretty good, and the Sharks went undefeated their rookie season winning first place standing in the league. He earned his first of many big trophies. From then on, Aiden would play little league baseball in both the spring and fall seasons. He was obsessed with playing game, as well as watching it on tv. When he was around five (5) years old, his second lifelong love affair with the New York Yankees, and their shortstop, Derek Jeter began, and from then on, he took his number from the Captain, number two ( #2). Aiden would spend hours out in the backyard with his dad playing catch. He never wanted to stop even after the sun went down. During this time, Aiden and his parents moved to Edmond, Oklahoma where he would spend the rest of his life. Aiden fell in love with every part of the game, and always wanted to play the game, his parents let him tryout travel ball. Aiden was hooked on travel ball, so he would play league during the week and travel ball on the weekends. Their lives would never be the same again.
Aiden’s first true travel ball team (he had pickup up several times with different teams) was for the OK Tigers in 8u Coach Pitch. His first game with them was on a trial basis for their weekend tournament in Stroud, and one of their coaches wanted to play catch with Aiden to get an idea of where to play him, so Aiden’s first throw to the coach was hard and fast. His coach was shocked with the velocity of his arm. Aiden was always one of the smallest players, but had an arm to back him up. During his tryout, he let a ball get away from him and hit the Head Coach in the head. While waiting on the next game, Aiden and his parents talked about hitting the Head Coach and said he probably wouldn’t make the team, but it was a good experience going forward to start trying out for other travel ball teams. After the two pool play games, the Head Coach asked Aiden’s parents if he could discuss something with them without Aiden. His parents looked at each other thinking wow, he doesn’t even want Aiden to come back tomorrow after that hit, so they told Aiden to go play with his teammates while they talked to Coach Raymond. To their absolutely shock, the first words out of the Coach’s mouth were the coaches and I discussed Aiden’s skill and abilities, and we would like to offer Aiden a spot on our roster. And so, travel ball began.
Aiden was a true utility player, he could play catcher, shortstop, outfield, just put him where you needed him and he’d play. His favorite position was of course, shortstop, like his idol Derek Jeter, but he usually played third base or right field because of the strength of his arm, he could throw that ball across the diamond. If he was playing right field, he’d have at least a double play or two throughout the weekend or if he was behind the plate, he would catch the runners stealing at second, and when it happened, you could hear the ESPN SportsCenter theme “Da Da Da”. He enjoyed just playing the game, he loved so much, it couldn’t get much better right? Well yes, it came in 9u, Aiden was playing for the OK Astros and OK Tigers, it was his first year of kid pitch. Aiden always said there is something magical about being on that bump. And, just as it always was, he comes out one of the littlest players on the team, and the batters getting excited because of his size, it’s going to be a slow pitch. However, to the batters surprise, he threw heat and was pretty accurate. Aiden fell in love with pitching, and he loved to be brought in to close, he feed off the crowd cheering and he said it was hypnotizing to hear the crowd erupt in cheering when he got that last out. However, Aiden was a perfectionist, and if he couldn’t get that last out or let a batter get a hit, he was always hardest on himself. And that rang true, today as it did during his travel ball days. Aiden always made lifelong friends on the field, throughout his time with different teams, he always had a brotherhood with his teammates, and there was never a weekend where someone was staying the night with Aiden and his parents in a hotel room or Aiden staying with his friend/teammate and their parents. The baseball team, coaches and parents formed a family relationship. If you could not make it to a tournament out of town or even out of state, their was always a teammate’s parents that would take your kid with them, feed them, wash their uniforms and just help you without any hesitation.
Aiden was excited to enter middle school because in Oklahoma, seventh (7th) graders were allowed to play sports. Aiden tryout for Heartland Middle School baseball team, he was one of five seventh (7th) graders to make the varsity team. He loved Coach Wilkerson so much, he let him into playing football too for his eighth (8th) grade year. As always, Aiden was one of the smaller players, but he wasn’t afraid to take a hit. He loved football games, but absolutely hated football practice, so he elected to only tryout for Edmond Santa Fe’s baseball team and not play football for his freshman year.
Aiden began his first year in High School on August 11, 2023. He was in ninth (9th) grade and tried out for the school’s baseball team. He made the freshman junior varsity (JV Green) team. He was both excited and nervous. Edmond Public Schools have three (3) High Schools, which two (2) Middle Schools feed into each High School, so he would be meeting new kids and teammates he had never played with before. The baseball program schedule their players to have 2nd hour in weightlifting/baseball conditioning, and their 7th hour is baseball practice and runs after school every day, so the freshmen would need someone to pick them up after practice each day. During the first nine (9) weeks, Aiden was excited and cheerful when his mom would pick him up and was talkative on the way home. Looking back now, after Fall Break, Aiden started missing some practices, he would have a migraine or didn’t feel well is what he told his parents. After Thanksgiving Break, he started missing school, as well as baseball practice. He then began having panic attacks, which he told his mom about and asked to go see his pediatrician. Aiden was seen in his doctor’s office and after some testing, he was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, which he was prescribed an antidepressant and anxiety medication. Both his mother and his pediatrician questioned him if he was afraid of someone or something at his school. Aiden would only say, he didn’t know why he was having panic attacks, they just started his freshman year. His pediatrician wrote a letter to the school stating Aiden’s new diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder on December 1, 2023, so that it could be added to his Federal 504, Aiden also had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and was diagnosed with it in the first (1st) grade, so he had modifications to his learning plan. Aiden’s mother transmitted it to the school’s counselor by email that same day.
Right before Christmas Break, Aiden had bronchitis and was getting better, so his mom talked him into going to school. A couple hours later, he began frantically texting his mom to come get him immediately something happened in 2nd hour and he was crying, so his mom went and got him. He told her that the upperclassmen were bullying and hazing him, and he can’t go back to school anymore. He refused to give his mom or his dad any details of everything that happened and flat out refused to name names of his classmates. Just they were older than him. His mom immediately said she was emailing the coach, when Aiden became hysterical, crying and screaming that would make it a hundred times worse and he’d be a dead man. He completely shut down and refused to talk to his parents. Aiden refused to go back to school for the rest of the week, complaining he was sick. His parents didn’t push the subject any further. The next Monday, his parents made him go to school, that morning Aiden begged and cried to his mom about letting him quit school, which she finally had to call his dad to talk to him. His dad laid down the law that you cannot quit school and are you afraid, Aiden finally said he would go to school, but begged to stay home until after his 2nd hour weightlifting and baseball conditioning, so she compromised with him and took him at the beginning of 3rd hour. He came home after school on the school bus complaining of being too sick to attend practice. The next morning on his way to school, he sent his mom a text message begging her to let him quit the baseball team. His mom responded that he would regret quitting the team because he loved baseball so much. Aiden responded with a text message that will forever scar his mother’s heart and soul, it said “You don’t care that I get bullied by my own teammates it’s a waste of time and money”, then responded quickly with “I’m just gonna be harassed non stop, his mom replied with “you are not a quitter”, which forever haunt her. His mom told him to go to practice today and see how it goes. Aiden and his parents discussed the text saying he is being bullied, Aiden refused to speak and pleaded with them not to go to the couch. His parents advised him, he made a commitment to the team and he needs to follow through on his promise. During Christmas break, Aiden was being funny, goofing off with his friends and asking for a new baseball bat for spring season.
Once he went back after break, he was going to baseball practice, but was still missing days. The week of February 13th, Aiden came home every day after school on the bus missing practice and then started missing school in general. He complained of being sick, so his mom took him to the urgent care to diagnose him and prescribed medication for him. On Wednesday February 15th, night, he missed practice again, so his dad went to talk to him about it. He asked him why he was deliberating skipping practice, and he said his teammates are bullying and hazing him, and he wants to quit. His parents asked what they were doing, he said calling him names, telling him he sucks and other stuff. His mom said let’s go to the coach, and his response was to begin to cry and become hysterical. He said no, that’s not an option. His parents begged him to tell them what was happening, but he refused. During the conversation, his parents reminded him that he made a commitment and that he loves baseball, which Aiden agreed he still loved the game, but why would he give his all for the team when his teammates treat him the way they do. Aiden’s parents told him then ride the bench if they aren’t treating you this way, go to the coach. You gave a commitment, it may get better like at Christmas or speaking to the coach or counselor. Aiden was done speaking and went to bed. The next day, he went to school and came home after school on the bus because practice was canceled. His parents had discussed earlier in the day, that if Aiden still wanted to quit baseball that he could, as long as he realizes you can’t take it back and then could decide if he wanted to play next year. That night, Aiden stayed in the living room with his parents, giggling, eating two plateful of dinner and asked about the weekend. His parents decided to wait until the weekend to discuss letting him quit the team, if he still wanted to because he was in such a good mood, and he was even throwing balls outside.
On Friday, February 17th, Aiden got up for school as usual, ate breakfast and left to catch the bus for school, his mom telling him, she loved him and have a wonderful day and him telling her, I love you too! Aiden walked three (3) blocks away from his house at the neighborhood park and attempted to end his life. His mom was notified he was marked absent, so she went to look for him because he had never done anything like that before. His mom found him, and with the help of a neighbor and guardian angel, began CPR and called 911. Aiden was revived and placed on life support. The next thirty - six (36) hours, he fought to live, moving his eyes, responding to pain and trying to breathe over the ventilator. However, Aiden’s brain began to swell and at 11 pm Saturday night, it was too much damage to his brain from lack of oxygen, so his mom climbed into bed with him, holding him tightly in her arms and his dad holding his hand they played Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High On That Mountain “ and Aiden peacefully went to be with the Lord, and on Monday, February 20th, Aiden was declared brain dead.
When Aiden was little, he was watching tv with his mom and the story was of a man was at a baseball game holding up a sign that said “my son needs a kidney type O+”, Aiden asked me why and I told him you only needed one kidney to survive, his next question was what type of blood do I have and I asked why, his response was classic Aiden, well mama, he can have one of mine since I don’t need it. Aiden’s parents remembered that story, so they honored Aiden’s wishes and donated his organs, which he saved four people, including a sixteen year old girl from Missouri with his heart and gave the gift of sight to someone with his corneas.
On February 22, 2023, LifeShare held an Honor Walk for Aiden, and at 10:05 am, his parents, family and friends said goodbye to him. Aiden took his own life due to the hazing and bullying of by his own teammates. Aiden was a kind and generous soul, he always wanted to help others and well loved. Aiden’s mom and dad made a promise to Aiden in that ICU bed that they would save at least one child’s life from bullying and save another pair of parents from suffering through their heartbreak. Aiden’s parents have made an oath to raise awareness of the dangers of bullying and hazing and to help obtain more resources for kids mental health needs in hopes of preventing su***de. Aiden’s mother released the text message from Aiden to her, where he told her his teammates were bullying him to raise awareness as much awareness. His parents will forever be haunted and should have forced him to give them names or go against his wishes and go to the coach.
Aiden was buried with his New York Yankee’s Hat, his glove, baseball bat and his metal cleats on just in case he needs them for a pickup game with some of the greats.
Aiden’s former baseball team, the Edmond Santa Fe Wolves are still playing their season with the hopes of contending for a state championship. They do not wear anything remembering their fallen teammate. Recently, Bixby High School Baseball Team played Santa Fe, all of the players for Bixby proudly wore the bracelets during the game. The has become Aiden’s parents mission to bring awareness to bullying and hazing.
ALL IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN IS FOR ONE PERSON TO STAND UP AND TELL A COACH, a teacher or an adult… this was totally preventable!! Someone could have taught their child to be kind, or to be the one that tells, they know right from wrong… one person, that’s all he needed, just one… this is why I feel like I’m drowning… Don’t believe me, go to Aiden’s gravesite, get the book out of the box, and read my horror… his 18th birthday is right around the corner, and all I write to him is about darkness… I want to be with him, I pray he comes to get me!! I am begging for a stand up gentleman to go out to visit him, and write down the boys names who bullied/hazed him and others. Please. 🙏🏻
If you or someone you know is having thoughts about su***de, please contact
1-800-273-8255 Su***de Hotline
838-255 Text Chat Su***de Hotline
Someone is available 24/7 please reach out for help.
