Music

The 32 years in between are full of reasons why this Fund was created. Here are just a few of them.

Aaron had a unique personality and struggled with feeling “different”.

The Fund

But early on he found joy and emotional support in music.

He also enjoyed keyboards.

He died just after midnight on November 20, 2024, at Rush University Medical Center, transcending his brief battle with cancer.

Especially Drumming.

But his true love was drumming, so for his 6th birthday we gave him his first drum kit and the rest is history.

During Aaron’s life we knew he was a kind and gentle person who loved animals, especially cats, and was dedicated to his School of Rock students even after he left that job, often attending performances to support students and staff, as well as to his co-workers both at School of Rock and Roosevelt. But we were completely unprepared for the outpouring of gratitude and love expressed by so many friends, students, co-workers and parents of students and friends at his Memorial in January of 2025. This inspired us to start a Charitable Foundation in his name, to honor his deep commitment and love for Music, his co-workers and students, and Animals. Thus, The Aaron Opon Memorial Fund was born.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree from DePaul University in 2016, Aaron struggled to find a job. While he played drums occasionally at home, he hadn’t done anything “formal” as far as drumming for years so we were a bit skeptical when he announced that he had applied to Plainfield School of Rock to be a Drum Instructor. When he actually got the job we were shocked, but delighted, again confronted with the true talent Aaron had. And thus began a new chapter in Aaron’s life.

Aaron worked at School of Rock for over 6 years. During that time he deeply impacted his students, his co-workers and those he directed in live shows and/or performed with. The picture below is of a drum head people filled with tributes at his Memorial Service.

Eventually Aaron left School of Rock to work in Admissions at Roosevelt University in Chicago. He and his brother Chris had moved into a beautiful condo in Edgewater, where Aaron was going to help Chris find a job. However, that plan came crashing down in early July of 2024.

Throughout the spring of 2024 Aaron complained of back pain. By July the pain was so sever that, during a weekend visit to celebrate the Fourth of July, he ended up in Silver Cross Hospital ER, where CT scans showed indications of possible cancer. A few days later he was diagnosed with Cholangiocarcinoma and a dire, uncertain prognosis due to the rareness of this cancer and the fact that he was at Stage 4, with the cancer having spread from his bile ducts to his spine, lungs and liver. Aaron was determined to fight, and began Chemo treatments in August.

Less than 5 months after his diagnosis Aaron left this world on November 20, 2024, at Rush Medical Center ICU in Chicago.