Feels like forever gone…
Aiden, you are always in our hearts ♥ We love you ♥
The best memorial to Aiden is to stand strong for who you are,
Stand strong for those who are not like you…
For everyone to have their own safe and honoured place in their own way.
You are precious, just as he was.
Memories of Aiden.
L’il Dude, Big Heart
(Artwork © 2010 by estate of Aiden Rivera Schaeff)
Aiden Rivera Schaeff was a Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School student who entered ninth grade as a girl and after identifying that he felt more at peace as a boy, transitioned to his new identity without hiding who he was.
The school authorities were extremely supportive of his determination to live his life as who he was.
Some of his fellow-students were not as kind.
He committed suicide on April 22, 2010, one month shy of his 18th birthday.
Aiden not only had tremendous personal courage, he was also charming and fun-loving. At his memorial service, many of his friends noted that he had the singular ability to connect with others. His loss was devastating not only to his family but to the wide circle of people who had stood by his side as he made his remarkable journey.
His moms urge you to think about this: How you speak to others matters. Thoughtless, off-hand comments can literally kill people. Each of us helps to create the world. Be kind in it. If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all.
In honor of Aiden’s life, and in an effort to help other youths at risk to survive, we are establishing an endowment fund at the American University in Washington, D.C., to fund student-run initiatives aimed at: 1) Reducing bullying against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered (LGBT) high-school-aged youth, and 2) Helping at-risk youth to survive bullying when it does occur.
To help raise funds to establish the endowment, which has to reach a minimal amount of $50,000 in order to be perpetually managed by the university, we are offering this medallion for sale. The artwork on the medallion is Aiden’s.
For information on contributing to the endowment fund, and purchasing a medallion please click on the medallion or email aidenriveraschaeff@gmail.com
Thank-you
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This is a place to share stories, music, drawings, videos…
by, for and about Aiden.
This site will be permanent and so perhaps a better place to put things than Facebook. You can even copy and paste your posts from Facebook or other sites to here, post links to YouTube…
You can mail any content you want posted to aidenriveraschaeff.com@gmail.com
Thank-you, Auntie Jenny
(some of )The Many Faces of Aiden
*** to add photos, video, music Please email me if you have things to add to the site. We are very happy to have any and all photos, videos that you have. Thanks, Jenny. ***
Angels come in so many forms, blessed are we that are touched by them whether we are aware of it at the time or not.
Aiden Rivera Schaeff 
Another year since your passing.
Aiden. 🩷
It’s so sad how the times have changed to where you would have been accepted more now than when you needed it. Society failed you. Rest deeply, angel.
I’m sorry you felt you had no other way out.
❤ wish you could’ve held on sooner. acceptance is growing