AIDEN MCQUILLAN
Aiden Alexander McQuillan enriched the lives of many people for 22 years with his kind spirit, intellect and music, but lost his life in a tragic incident on February 8, 2018. Aiden was born in Santa Fe to Kathleen and Dennis McQuillan. Aiden attended kindergarten at the School for the Deaf, in a program that mixed deaf kids with hearing kids, where he learned sign language and developed respect for people with disabilities. In his elementary school years, Aiden learned to ice skate, played hockey, swam with the Santa Fe Seals, and won awards for being a dinosaur expert and a millionword reader. Aiden took lessons in piano and violin, played the bodhran (Irish drum) at Contra Dances, but found his greatest musical passion in singing. Aiden performed with the Santa Fe High School Choir and Musical Theater throughout high school. Aiden also loved reading, hiking, camping, whitewater rafting, snorkeling, and playing cribbage and video games. In addition to his parents, Aiden is survived by sisters Kelsey Best and Shannon McQuillan, Brother-in-Law Jonny Heffern, Niece and Nephew Briseis Best Heffern and Alexander Heffern, Grandmother Flora Drew, Aunts and Uncles Arlene and Joseph With, Alfred Chavez, Robert Chavez, Thomas and Debbie Chavez, James McQuillan, Michael and Susan McQuillan, cousins, and many other people who loved him dearly. In our hearts we hold the gifts that Aiden left with us. We thank the many academic, athletic and musical mentors who helped guide Aiden into the extraordinary young man he was. We wish to express our deepest thanks to our family, friends and co-workers for the tremendous outpouring of love and support at this difficult time. We also thank the co-workers, first responders and Emergency Room staff who tried heroically to save Aiden’s life. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Santa Fe High School Choir Booster Club, https://www.santafehigharts.org/choir.html. A celebration of Aiden’s life will be held in May at a date and location to be determined.