Revisiting 'Young Survivors: The Unspoken Trauma of Gun Violence,' a WLRN series

We are sad to share news of the death of Aaron Willis. When Aaron was 15, he was shot off his bicycle by an unknown assailant. His injuries made him paraplegic and weighed heavily on his mental health. His story was part of a WLRN special production, Young Survivors: The Unspoken Trauma of Gun Violence reported by Sammy Mack, Nadege Green and Rowan Moore Gerety. The trajectory of violence can be long and complicated. Aaron’s family continues to be candid about his struggles. Aaron Willis died in February of 2026 by suicide, a complication from a 2012 gunshot wound to the spine. If you or someone you know is struggling, you can reach the national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling 988 or visiting 988lifeline.org. WLRN is re-sharing stories from the series.

You can listen to Revisiting 'Young Survivors: The Unspoken Trauma of Gun Violence,' a WLRN series online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Revisiting 'Young Survivors: The Unspoken Trauma of Gun Violence,' a WLRN series is an episode from WLRN | Presents.

This episode is 63:19 long.

This episode was published on Mar 2, 2026.

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