Coeur d’Alene High School: From an early loss, Aedan Reindel finds strength in family, helping others

When Aedan Reindel was a year old, his mother, Tiffany Blumer, who was Post Falls’ city engineer at the time, was out riding motorcycles with her father when a tree fell on them, killing them both.

Reindel, now 18, was then primarily raised by his grandmother, Linda Blumer, in Hayden. His father, Aaron Reindel, has always been present in his life and is the person who instilled in him a love for music, said the young man now about to graduate from Coeur d’Alene High School.

Still, it’s his grandmother who Reindel credits with “sacrificing so much so I have a life like other kids.” Now a retired office worker, his grandmother put her all into getting him to lacrosse events (even if they were several states away), checking his homework and even making sure he had a connection to his mother, by being sure to tell him stories of her life.

“If she could, my grandmother would wear a T-shirt with my name on it every day,” Reindel said, with obvious pride.

He played football and did track and cross county, but then discovered lacrosse through a friend. He took off in the sport, playing on school and club teams and is currently his high school’s team captain. His leadership skills are noted by Carrie McGlohon, school counselor, who observed how he never puts himself in the spotlight, “but he deserves it.”

“I’ve learned about leadership by leading by example,” Reindel said. “If I want everyone to bring their A-game, I have to do the same, even if I’m not in the mood that day.”

He especially values the importance of family. Even though he lost his mother so young, he’s found ways to connect with her. He recently visited his mother’s former boss, who provided him with some books and papers of hers. There was also a whiteboard on which his mother had written some phrases and sayings. “When I saw her handwriting, I recognized it,” Reindel said. “I have the same handwriting.”

Reindel maintains a 4.0 GPA and takes all the dual-credit courses he can. And he works part time. He is an active participant in the DECA program and won three gold awards at DECA’s state competition, one of which was for his management of the school’s annual blood drive. He has also been selected an Idaho Top Scholar.

He noted that living in North Idaho his whole life, it wasn’t until he traveled for lacrosse that his horizons began to widen – visiting upstate New York, Chicago and elsewhere. “I was so impressed with the beauty of diversity, not just racial, but lifestyles, foods, cultures, energy and pace, ethnicities,” he said.

And as impressive as all that was, “it also renewed in me how much I appreciate waking up in the morning and seeing Canfield Mountain.”

He had always hoped to attend college, even though financial resources were limited, assuming he’d need to start out close to home. Still interested in experiencing different places, he learned about options and financial aid grants and scholarships, and last year started applying to schools all across the country, including Yale.

“Well, Yale didn’t happen,” he said, “but I was accepted at Baylor (in Waco, Texas) and hope to enroll there this fall.” He’ll major in biochemistry and, if all goes well, continue on to medical school, also at Baylor. He’d like to be an orthopedic surgeon.

“It’s probably cliché,” he said, “but I want to be a positive help to people.”