We got a phone call in the middle of the night on Monday the 27th that jolted me right out of bed.  It was my wife’s mom telling up that she got word from Colorado that my wife’s brother Aaron was jumped on his way home from the store earlier that night.  He had apparently been beaten quite severely and was not conscious.  About an hour later, she called us again to inform us that he had passed away.

According to the information we have so far, he stopped into a liquor store near his house with his girlfriend and one of her friends.  As they were leaving, the girls got jumped by two guys for the likely purpose of robbing them.  As he was paying at the counter inside, Aaron looked out and saw what was happening.  As he went out to break it up and pull the attackers off his girlfriend, the attackers turned to him and laid into him full-on.  He was beaten to the point that he was put unconscious and bleeding severely before the attackers ran off, leaving them there.  Unfortunately, he never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead at the scene.  The girls were treated and released with minor injuries.

Amy, naturally, took the news hard.  She took Monday off work and spent most of the day at her folks’ place helping them get things together for the funeral arrangements.  As it sits right now, Aaron’s body is being released by investigators today or tomorrow and being brought back to Traverse City.  The visitation is Sunday and the funeral service is on Monday afternoon.

Not much I can add to this one right now.  We’ll Miss you, Aaron.