JT Keith

Artesia Daily Press

jtkeith@elritomedia.com

What a year Aaron Aguilar is having.

Aguilar, 19, is a special needs senior at Artesia High School and he was a member of the Bulldogs’ 2025 state championship basketball team. On Saturday, he was torchbearer for the 2025 Area IV Special Olympics Summer Games in Carlsbad.

Aaron will participate in the Special Olympics from May 30 to June 1 in Albuquerque where he will compete in the pentathlon, an event consisting of five individual track and field events: the 100-meter run, the long jump, the shotput, the high jump and the 400-meter run.

In June 2026, Aguilar will be one of five athletes representing New Mexico in the Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Games will take place at the University of Minnesota where Aaron will run the 400 meters, the 100 meters and the 4×100.

Aaron is a son of Eliseo and Rachel Aguilar. He has three older brothers: Adrian Tirado, 28; Kameron, 25; and Eliseo Aguilar Jr., 20.

“As his parents, we could not be any prouder of him,” said Rachel Aguilar.

Aaron was in and out of hospitals for the first three years of his life, his mother said, and was diagnosed with short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (SCADD), a genetic condition that prevents the body from breaking down certain types of fats. According to the National Institutes of Health, it can cause a range of systems, including muscle weakness and developmental delay.

Aguilar will graduate in May and go to a new program where he will learn work skills, Rachel said.

“I know having great people believe in him makes the difference,” she said.

Aguilar makes a shot in the game

People were definitely believing and also rooting for him when Aguilar dressed with the varsity for Artesia’s final home game of the basketball season.

In that Feb. 14 game at the Bulldog Pit, with 11 seconds to play and Artesia on its way to a 57-42 victory over Lovington, Wildcats assistant coach Trenton Lee called time out. Aguilar stood on the court near the Artesia coach, Michael Mondragon.

After the timeout, Lovington senior Mike Pando inbounded the ball but instead of throwing it to a teammate passed it to Aguilar behind the 3-point line.

Aguilar caught the pass, took aim at the basket, let the shot fly – and missed. He got the ball back, shot again and missed again. But his third shot swished through the net as the buzzer sounded, setting off a celebration with Aguilar being mobbed by teammates, fans and the Lovington players.

“This young man was a part of our program,” Mondragon said. “I am super proud of him. His scoring was a special moment for him, his family and our program.”

Touching the community

Artesia athletic director Brian Taylor said it was an unforgettable moment watching Aguilar sink the 3-pointer in a varsity game.

“I have had the privilege of watching him grow and seeing how far he has come both on and off the court,” Taylor said. “It is incredibly inspiring. Aaron embodies the spirit of perseverance and joy. And that inclusion makes our school and community so special.”

“My advice for special needs parents is that we all need what kids are capable of,” Rachel Aguilar said. “They all have something that they are great at. Let them shine at whatever it may be. It might be art, sports, math or even baking. They’re not weird. They are just kids.”

jtkeith can be reached at 575-420-0061, or n X@JTKEITH1