Last Thursday, 20 December, the ALF were featured in a full-page article marking the tenth anniversary of Aaron’s death.

In case you missed it, the article originally written by Greg Fidgeon is featured below.

The Aaron Lewis Foundation would like to thank everyone at The Echo for their continued support.

ON December 15th 2008, Lieutenant Aaron Lewis was killed in action in Afghanistan when the gun position he was commanding came under attack.

Aaron, from Rochford, was just 26 years old and on his first operational deployment.

A decade on from the tragedy, his family and friends keep his name alive through the charitable organisation that raises money to help wounded veterans and deserving local causes.

Mum Helen – a trustee of the Aaron Lewis Foundation – said: “I and all of Aaron’s family are immensely proud of all that he achieved in his all-too-short life. His loss has left a massive hole in all our lives that can never be filled, but it is of immense comfort to us that he most definitely lives on through the ALF.”

A talented rugby player, Aaron played for Wasps as a youth and later represented Loughborough University, where he earned a degree in sports and exercise science. He went on to work as a fitness instructor at Clements Hall, in Hawkwell, where he committed himself to helping those undergoing post-surgical rehabilitation.

Ryan Brown, one of the ALF’s founders, was best friends with Aaron at Westcliff High School for Boys. He said: “He was one of the most popular kids in our year. He would blend between the social groups with ease – just as comfortable with the rugby team as those who would hang around the brook at lunchtime and smoke.

“But he was also really smart and had an awareness of always wanting to achieve more and better himself. He had a clear direction of what he wanted to achieve, whereas the rest of us had no idea what we wanted to do that weekend!

“He called me when he first had the idea to join the Army. He wanted my opinion, but you knew he’d already considered every possible outcome. I only asked that he think it over for a couple more days. He did, came back with a sound reasoning that you couldn’t argue against.”

Aaron passed out at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst in April 2007. Stories followed of his grit and determination to complete all obstacles and tasks, even when injured. No one at home was surprised.

Lieutenant Colonel Steve Fraser MBE, another Foundation trustee, served in the Royal Artillery for 26 years and was second in command of 29 Commando Regiment at the time of Aaron’s death.

He said: “I remember Aaron’s battle against injury to complete the commando course in time to deploy to Afghanistan with 79 Commando Battery. He was desperate to play his part.

“I watched Aaron nervously on a number of the key commando tests, but most significant was seeing him crossing the line with his team on the 30-mile march – the final test. Tired but triumphant, he donned his green beret, pumped my hand hard and instantly asked what the plan was for getting him to Afghanistan.

“There was no thought of time off, physical recovery or anything else about himself, just a desire to get on and do his duty in support of his men, his Battery and his Regiment.

“I have no doubt Aaron would have thrived in his military career. He had that ‘something’ about him – a perfect mix of duty, fun, care, courage and intelligence.”

Aaron passed the All Arms Commando Course in June 2008 and was deployed with his gun troop to Helmand Province that October.

Two months later, less than a fortnight after his 26th birthday, he was killed.

Ryan added: “When we found out we lost him, all his friends from school and rugby left work and met up in Leigh. We were all in a state of shock, but I remember the realisation in that moment that we were all friends because of him. We were bound by our friendship with one man.

“I learned to deal with the grief in my own way. I started running because it gave me time to be alone with my thoughts. Running was a form of therapy that allowed me to channel my emotions and sadness into something that reminded me of Aaron.”

Ryan and others who were close to Aaron began signing up for sponsored events and raised more than £100,000 for causes close to his heart and for the Commando Gunner Memorial that now proudly stands outside his former base at the Royal Citadel in Plymouth.

Graphic designer Ryan said: “I realised that if we could maintain that spirit and establish a common cause that we could all get behind and celebrated Aaron’s life while helping others, there would be no greater way to keep his memory alive. I talked the idea through with Aaron’s parents, Helen and Barry, and we founded the Aaron Lewis Foundation.”

The charity was officially formed in 2010 and has since helped dozens of deserving causes across the country and around Aaron’s home town.

Helen added: “Aaron once said, ‘Life is for living as it’s meant to be lived. You don’t have to join the Army or travel the world, just do things that scare you a little or you’re not sure you can do. Just try it’.

“For him that was living and the feeling of achieving what you might think impossible gave him a superb sense of freedom. That is really what the ALF is founded on.

“Many of Aaron’s friends and family – and even people who didn’t know him – were inspired by their love for him or his bravery and went out and challenged themselves to do things to raise money.

“Ten years on from Aaron’s loss, he continues to make a difference to the lives of others. He lives on within the Aaron Lewis Foundation and we are enormously grateful for the support it receives from fundraisers and our team of volunteers. Thank you to everyone for helping to make that possible.”