Aaron Ardley Zenor

My son, Aaron, was one of a kind. There will never be another Aaron.

He was whip smart – perfect score on the GRE. Phi Beta Kappa in political science at Arizona State University. Master’s Degree in world history, with emphasis on military history. He earned this degree while he was serving as head of military intelligence for the Near Middle East / North Africa Joint Command – obviously a full time job. After Aaron died, I had the task of dealing with his books. Over 1,500 of them. Very serious histories, political science, and biographies. And every single one I opened had Aaron’s distinctive “tiny writing” comments in the margins. His books weren’t decoration. He had read them all. He scripted installments of a TV series sponsored by the City Government on the History of Las Vegas. He always sought intellectual challenges.

Aaron was also very family-oriented. He never forgot a Mother’s or Father’s Day or birthday cards and accompanying phone calls. He loved the Zenor family.

He joined the military out of a sense of duty to his country and the world, undoubtedly influenced by his study of history and historical figures. He served nine years in the Navy. He was selected Officer of the Year in 2008 in his Middle East Theater. He was competing with 90 other nominees from all branches of the military although he was technically part of the Navy. But he did not have a military personality. His true personality was that of a loving, easy going, and scholarly person. I believe his Middle East service was the primary cause of his alcoholism, which eventually caused his death. His drinking, to escape memories of his military service, consumed him. He had very serious PTSD. There was nothing I could do to keep him sober. And believe me I tried – with all the energy, effort, and compassion I had in me. Nothing worked. The lure of being able to forget and suppress his military experiences through drinking always won out. It was too powerful to overcome. But God bless him, Aaron tried his best to stay sober.

Aaron was also kind and gentle. Any friend, and he had a lot of them, who needed help could always count on him. He couldn’t understand violence and brutality. The terror bombing in Spain (2004 Madrid train station) shocked him to his core. How could anyone do that to other human beings?

His life was too short, but his spirit was adventurous and his 40 years were filled with unique life experiences. He was the conscious architect of his life. He studied for two years at the University of Granada in Spain – his Spanish was fluent. He also taught himself passable Russian, Romanian, and French. He spent several months on an archeological dig of Roman ruins in Romania. He hiked and camped in Ethiopia, Argentina, and Iceland, among many other places. He taught English as a second language in Russia and Finland, and from the cards and letters his students sent him, they loved and adored him. Aaron was fearless in solitary travel and easily made friends wherever he went – and in military and personal travel, he visited at least 40 countries.

And oh my gosh, Aaron’s smile would light up a room when he entered! What I wouldn’t give for Aaron one more time to walk through my front door! It was pure joy when he did.

He set the record for the annual 10k run sponsored by the Saudi Arabian Theater Command.

Aaron, I miss you. Everyone you ever knew misses you. Yours was a relatively short and often difficult life, but it was yours and yours alone, and was a very big, very brightly lit candle. Aaron, you were totally and completely loved by everyone you knew, and will never be forgotten by them – and of course, never by your Dad.