A New Year’s Eve Tragedy

I’m going to do two things today that I generally try to limit as much as possible. The first is copy and paste. And the second is to ask for money. For your consideration:

On the early morning of January 1, 2018, we experienced a New Year that we will never forget. Lawrence Aaron III attended a NYE party in Severn, MD with his friends and was struck in the back by a stray bullet fired from an unidentified party goer. The bullet hit Lawrence in the thoracic spine and has resulted in paralysis from the waist down.

Our family is devastated, but truly thankful for God’s mercy on Lawrence’s life. Whether you know him as Lawrence, Larry, L, or Lo – we can all agree that the bravery and strength of this man is unmatched. Lawrence is a 19-year-old from Columbia, MD with an extremely bright future ahead of him.

As an Oakland Mills High School graduate, Lawrence was a standout student athlete in football earning him 1st Team All Howard County Honors and 2nd Team All-Metro Honors. He helped lead his team to one of the best records in the county in football resulting in a full athletic scholarship to Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va. Lawrence also excelled on the basketball court helping to lead the Scorpions to a state championship and on the baseball field exhibiting the qualities of a well-rounded student athlete.

Lawrence is currently a sophomore at Marshall where he has excelled in the classroom and made lifelong friends. He is a defensive tackle for The Thundering Herd, who recently won the Gildan New Mexico Bowl Game on December 16, 2017. During his time at Marshall he has shown growth as he strives to achieve his life-long goals.

If you know Lawrence, you know that he has always had a large group of personal cheerleaders behind him. From his little league sports games to the Howard County fields and courts, and more recently the Joan C. Edwards stadium, his support system has never failed at cheering him on. During this difficult time, we will continue to be his biggest fans and cheer him on. We encourage all to join our support team. Donations will be used for medical and living expenses and creating a living environment which will accommodate Lawrence’s current and future conditions.

The family thanks all those that have reached out through prayers, calls, text messages and visits to see him. We understand that this will be a journey as we all come together to provide endless support, love, and care for Lawrence throughout his recovery. Any support during this difficult time is greatly appreciated.

 
Blessings,

The Family of Lawrence Aaron III

(From the Go Fund Me page established by the family) 

https://www.gofundme.com/wearelarrystrong

For the last twenty four hours I have read heartfelt posts from one of Mr. Aaron’s former teachers and the mother of an OMHS classmate. His story should be one of endless possibility. Now he faces challenges most of us cannot even imagine.

I know many many of us are tapped out from holiday spending and/or end of year charitable giving. If you are able, share a little to help this young man and his family. He needs more cheerleaders than ever right now.