The Life of Aidan McLoone

On September 25th, 2000, Aidan Daly McLoone was born at St. Francis Hospital in
Shakopee, Minnesota. Born to Michael and Katherine McLoone, I was welcomed into a large,
loving family. My sister Delaney was fourteen months old at the time of my birth.
Around the time of my first birthday, a national tragedy struck the United States. I was
too young to remember September 11th. I was taking a bath when it happened, and my mom left
her eleven-month old child sitting in the water while she ran to watch the news. Though I do not
remember any events of that day, the horrific events that took place on 9/11 changed the United
States. My generation was not going to grow up the same way my parents did.
However, my earliest memory was when I was four. Wearing my favorite pink collared
shirt, I peddled around on my training wheels during the preschool bike parade. Eager to win a
race that was not actually a competition, I tried my hardest to pass the people in front of me. My
competitive spirit is a deeply-rooted trait of mine.
When my family welcomed the third daughter, Keiran, in 2003, we began looking for a
new home. Our small, brown and yellow house was only large enough to fit four people, plus
members of the occasional fantasy football draft. My parents found a larger, white house with a
big porch and instantly knew that was where they wanted to raise their kids. We hadnt been
living in the new house long before the fourth and last child was born. My dad finally got a son
whom he could share his name with. Michael Cavanaugh entered the world in 2005.
Life was simple and well for the McLoones. We frequently visited our extended family in
St. Peter and Mankato. My grandmas home was the site of many birthday parties and Easter egg
hunts- until one day it wasnt. On August 2, 2006, three separate tornadoes joined together to
form a massive, mile-wide twister. The quiet, small town of Cleveland, Minnesota was hit. My
grandmas house was directly in the storms path. She broke her leg trying to protect my three
cousins that were staying with her. The oldest cousin, four at the time, had to get stitches up his
entire leg. Other than the injuries, miraculously, they were fine. Yet my mothers childhood
home was demolished. But when all of my cousins showed up the next day to help recover lost
items, I got a strong sense of what family was really about.
Aside from my relatives, friends were very important to me. I went to St. Wenceslaus
Catholic School for nine years, kindergarten through eighth grade. Part of a small, close-knit
grade, my elementary years were filled with memories of the same thirty people. Though I have
now expanded my group of friends and made new ones, I am happy to have made some great
memories with some great kids. Here at New Prague High School I have 350 kids in my class, so
theres many more personalities and groups. Ive found friends mainly through my three sports:
soccer, basketball, and track & field.
Ive been playing soccer for as long as I can remember. My mom, a basketball star at her
high school, and my dad, a school record holder for track, convinced me to try new sports early
on. Not only did I enjoy them, but I stuck with them. Track had been a fun outlet for me to just
go and run, but it all became serious in eighth grade. The varsity team only needed one sprinter
out of the 20 girls that tried out. I ended up getting the spot, and I now take track very seriously. I
enjoy running the 4x200 relay with my older sister, running 300 hurdles, and doing triple jump.
Track helps me build speed and endurance for my other sports. My dad coached me for five
years in basketball, where I was adamant on always being number 33, the same as my favorite

basketball player, Larry Bird. My traveling team went from losing in B brackets to winning in A
brackets, and Ill never forget the memories made while playing with my best friends. Lastly
theres soccer, my favorite sport. Making varsity freshman year was something I had worked for
since I was very little. I look forward to fall every year, because nothing beats playing under the
lights with my phenomenal teammates.
Aside from sports, a huge part of my life, Im a big fan of reading, writing, music, and
politics. The 2008 election was an eye-opener for me. That was the election where I first became
involved in social issues and the economy. I watched Barack Obamas speeches as an eight year
old, and made sure my parents went out to vote for him. My competitiveness didnt translate well
with other kids at school. Though I didnt know much about what I was talking about, that didnt
stop me from debating with any other kid. Today Im way more involved, and though my kids
may not remember the name Bernie Sanders, I know I always will.
I stopped arguing with kids at school, but a year later, my best friend Luke Schoenbauer
went through a battle of his own. In third grade he was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, cancer of
the bone. It was tough not being able to play with him at recess every day, but I knew hed be
back. Through radiation and surgery, Luke fought for months and months. In February 2010, the
school had a benefit for his family. When over a hundred boys lined up to shave their heads in
support of Luke, I was right there with them. My mom had made an online page for me where
anyone could pledge to raise money. The goal was to raise $1,000, because if I did then I
promised to shave my long, blonde locks off with the rest of the young boys. Strangely enough, I
really wanted to go bald, because I knew that it would make Luke feel less alone. I doubled our
goal, raising over $2,000 and so I shaved my head along with five other girls. Luke beat his
disease not once, but three times, and hes still a very close friend of mine.
Currently, my life is busy. Sports take up a lot of time in my life. Even when Im not
practicing or competing, I might be found at my siblings sporting events or at a Twins baseball
game with my season-ticket-holding grandparents. On rainy days I like to sit in my room and
read and write poetry. I also listen to some of my favorite singers and bands such as The Script,
Taylor Swift, Grace Vanderwaal, Hozier, and Justin Bieber. My iphone 6s is always by my side,
or sitting on my bedside table near my large collection of once popular Silly Bandz. You could
also find Bath and Body Works candles, my great-grandpas old typewriter, Bernie Sanders
bumper stickers, colorful scrunchies, and San Pellegrino Limonata drinks in my room. In my
closet youd find combat boots, high-waisted jeans, sweaters, sports sweatshirts, and dresses for
home game days.
Right now, Im trying to make it through school with good grades so I can get into a good
college. Id love to attend the college where my mom went, the College of St. Benedict. My dad
went to the neighboring boys school, St. Johns. Hopefully from there Ill go to med school. I am
looking into oncology and neurology, as Ive had a few concussions in my athletic career. Yet
since my stubborn ways might drive me towards arguing for a living, I think I could create a
name for myself in politics. I hope to spend some time in New York City, Alaska, and in Ireland,
as Im very proud of my Irish roots and would love to leave this small town, even just for a little
while. Wherever I go in life, I imagine Ill end up back in Minnesota with a small family. Ill try
to give my kids the life I had because so far, its been a pretty good one.