Aaron Michael Roe Reed

REED Aaron Michael Roe, age 43, lost his six year battle against a neurological disease on Tuesday, January 24, 2023. He died at his parent's home in Westerville, under hospice care after a 49 day hospitalization at Riverside and the previous sixty days in three VA hospitals in Georgia.

Aaron was born on May 16, 1979 to Michael and Belinda Reed and raised in central Ohio. He was the first grandchild in the family and beloved beyond measure.

Aaron graduated from Upper Arlington High School in 1997. He earned two bachelor's degrees from Miami University, in International Studies and German in four years. Aaron was fluent in German and made many trips there, his mother's birthplace. He went on to earn a law degree from Capital University. After earning his J.D., he joined the Army and served two combat tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom during which he suffered a significant traumatic brain injury. Even so, the Army sent him back to combat after a three month hospital stay in Germany. Aaron was a proud Eagle Scout which he achieved in BSA Troop 555. He also earned two of the three possible Palms after attaining the Eagle rank, a very high honor and rarely achieved.

Aaron accomplished so much in his young life, all the more remarkable because he was on the autism spectrum (Asperger's). Everything he attempted, completed, and earned was so much harder for him, yet he never quit. Aaron was in special education until middle school but was still voted class president in the 8th grade. After two enlistments in the Army, he chose to stay in Georgia near his base, Fort Stewart, home of the 3rd Infantry and Rock of the Marne. Aaron wore one of his many treasured Army ball caps even has he left this world. He wore his disabled veteran hats with great pride.

Aaron loved country music, his adopted state of Georgia, the Ohio State Buckeyes, playing chess with his dad, his German heritage, and Wendy's spicy chicken sandwiches. Aaron was humble, kind, sweet, and decent. Sadly, many took advantage of his too trusting nature due to Asperger's and his kindness, but he never became bitter or let that change him. Preceded in death by his Opa J.D. Moore and his grandparents Wiley and Jean Reed.

He is survived by his parents, along with his surrogate mom Sonya Jackson in Georgia. Also survived by numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

There will be no public service or visitation. Aaron will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. He earned that right many times over, suffering with a significant brain injury and PTSD and having to fight for his VA benefits, even as his designation was "100 percent disabled due to service related injuries," to the point it took attorneys and joining a class action law suit against the Army to obtain them.

"If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, we would walk right up to heaven, and bring you home again," with all our love, your grieving parents. Life will never be the same.