Aaron Brooks just can’t seem to catch a break this past year. In March, he ended his college career at Penn State by becoming a four-time NCAA Division I champion. In April, he was named the Hodge Trophy winner, awarded to the best collegiate wrestler of the year. Then he went on to defeat reigning Olympic gold medalist David Taylor and secured a spot on the Olympic team heading to Paris at the end of July. But before he heads out to the city of love, Aaron Brooks is spending some time in his hometown with his parents, John Brooks and Ranelle Boyd.

He’s also joined by his older brother, Isaiah, who has been the cornerstone of his journey. Behind every champion lies a story of support and sacrifice, and for Brooks, his family has been his unwavering pillars of strength. Let’s delve into the inspiring background and family dynamics that have fueled Aaron Brooks’ relentless pursuit of greatness.

All about Aaron Brooks’ dad and mom

Aaron Brooks was born to dad John Brooks and mom Ranelle Boyd on the 15th of June 2000 in Hagerstown, Maryland. The Brooks and Boyd family have resided in Hagerstown for a long time which has led them to become one with the community, so naturally their hearts beat for the place. So Aaron Brooks gained a lot of support from the localites growing up as well. Though it’s unclear how the couple met, they’re definitely united in making sure their son reaches the heights of success. In addition, the couple also have an elder son, Isaiah. 

John is the head coach at Hagerstown Area Police Athletic League complex at Fairgrounds Park. This is where Aaron and his brother grew up wrestling as well. Isaiah is a wrestler himself and is known to have mentored his brother. John Brooks also worked as a Paraprofessional at South Hagerstown High School. In an interview, Aaron’s father, John, mentioned that he supports Aaron’s dreams without being pushy, focusing on helping with alternative learning opportunities at the school.

Ranelle Boyd worked as an implementation coordinator at Merkle Response Management Group after spending many years as a customer service representative. Aaron’s parents have separated since and remarried. Brooks has two step-brothers from his father John’s side with step-mother Adrienne Brooks and one stepsister from his mother. His father ensured his son had the perfect environment to flourish, fostering a supportive atmosphere that allowed Aaron to pursue his ambitions wholeheartedly.

Brooks’ father ensured his son had the perfect environment to flourish

Aaron’s father coached him from a young age, especially in terms of sportsmanship, dedication and work ethic. John taught his son the basics of wrestling as well and as a result, he started harboring a deep love for the sport. He is likely Aaron Brooks’ first role model. John has been particularly attentive to his son’s growth and success as an athlete. The family has been particularly close and built a solid foundation for both emotionally and psychologically supporting Aaron’s needs. 

Though Aaron has said, “The wrestling, the Lord has always blessed me with that. Wrestling has always come kind of natural,” his father helped him through most of the basics and is always available for a second opinion. When Aaron cleared the trials, John made a tweet expressing his excitement, “This guy is cleared and heading to Paris! Bring it home AB 🥇” Recently, the father-son duo returned to Hagerstown Youth club where they spent some time teaching wrestling to a group of around 30 kids.