Aaron Stark

Mental Health Advocate, TED Speaker & Champion of the Power of Human Connection

Aaron Stark

Mental Health Advocate, TED Speaker & Champion of the Power of Human Connection

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Biography

Aaron Stark was almost a school shooter. Growing up in an environment marked by abuse, neglect, and instability, he endured years of isolation and emotional pain that nearly led him to commit an unthinkable act of violence. But at his darkest moment, simple acts of kindness from people who refused to give up on him changed the course of his life. Today, Stark is a devoted father of four and a passionate advocate for mental health awareness, violence prevention, and the extraordinary power of human connection. Drawing from his own experiences, he is on a mission to reach those who feel forgotten or beyond help, reminding them that their lives matter and that even in the darkest moments, there is hope.

Following the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, Stark shared his story in an open letter titled "I Was Almost a School Shooter," which was featured on Denver's 9NEWS program Next with Kyle Clark. His deeply personal account quickly captured national attention, reaching millions of people and launching his work as a speaker and advocate. He subsequently delivered his powerful TEDxBoulder talk, I Was Almost a School Shooter, which has garnered more than 15 million views on TED's platform and continues to be shared in schools, colleges, and universities around the world. His remarkable story has been featured by TIME, The Washington Post, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MS, and PBS's Amanpour & Company, bringing an important perspective to national conversations about mental health, school safety, and the human experiences behind violence.

Through his speaking engagements, Stark offers a rare and deeply personal understanding of how isolation, trauma, and hopelessness can push someone toward violence, and how meaningful human connection can help change that trajectory. Speaking to students, educators, school administrators, law enforcement agencies, and community organizations, he challenges audiences to recognize those who may be struggling, understand opportunities for intervention, and see the profound difference that compassion and belonging can make in another person’s life. Rooted in his belief to “Give love to the ones you feel deserve it the least, because they need it the most,” Stark’s message challenges assumptions while offering hope that meaningful human connection can help change, or save, a life. Aaron Stark works in partnership with APB Speakers for speaking engagements worldwide.

Speaker Videos

I Was Almost A School Shooter | Aaron Stark | TEDxBoulder

Treated Like A Person

Stepping Out of the Cycle

The Only Way Out is Through

Gun Control v. Mental Health

Keep Going

Westminster High Speech

Mississippi School Nurses Convention

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Speech Topics

I Was Almost a School Shooter

Sometimes the difference between tragedy and hope is one person who chooses to care. Aaron Stark knows this firsthand. Once an isolated and angry teenager who nearly committed an unthinkable act of violence, Aaron’s life changed because people showed him kindness when he felt most disconnected from the world around him. In this deeply personal and ultimately hopeful keynote, Aaron helps audiences look beyond anger and troubling behavior to recognize the pain, isolation, and hopelessness that may exist underneath. Drawing from his own experience, he explores how meaningful connection and a genuine sense of belonging can reach people before they feel completely lost. His message is both urgent and compassionate: small acts of care can have extraordinary impact, and every person has the ability to help someone feel seen, valued, and worth reaching.

Audiences will learn:
-How to recognize signs of isolation, distress, and disconnection
-Why empathy and belonging can be powerful tools in violence prevention
-How everyday acts of connection can help people know they matter

Testimonials

"I cannot say enough good things about Aaron. Not only was his keynote speech incredibly powerful and moving, but he made every effort after his presentation to mingle and speak with attendees and staff. He completely immersed himself into our event, much to the delight of everyone in attendance. He took the time to answer questions post-keynote, as well as gathered a crowd the next morning during his Q&A follow-up session. He was an absolute rockstar!"

- Executive Director, NABITA

"I had the opportunity to listen to Mr. Stark share his story to a room of Law Enforcement and Investigation professionals. He made himself vulnerable and shared experiences from his development that few people could survive, let alone expose to others. Mr. Stark was captivating; his message is a simple one: Be Kind. The simplicity is not meant to minimize his message, rather it is intended to highlight that we all have the power to be a positive influence on those around us. During Mr. Stark's presentation, the room of approximately 250 adults fell silent. He was engaging, emotional, and delivered a message that we all have the power to impact those around us. Finally, he reinforced how the smallest act of kindness can be life altering and meaningful to those who expect it the least."

- US Attorney’s Office and FBI in Philadelphia

"Aaron’s presentation was nothing like I had expected it to be. Listening to his story, I found myself asking how it’s possible for a student to get to where he was. It’s easy to think that with social services, welfare programs, and all of the resources we know are available to students, we’ve solved these issues. But the fact of the matter is that most, if not all, of these resources were available when he was in school, and they did him no good. In fact, some of them brought him more harm than good. Hearing Aaron’s story and perspective helped to shed light on how students experiencing poverty, abuse, or traumas of almost any kind may view their peers, adults, and the world. Aaron mentioned that one of the best things we can do for these students is to actually see them and treat them like people. It seems easy enough, but in the hustle and bustle of grading, lesson planning, and classroom management, it’s really easy to overlook the student who disengages all hour or be silently relieved when the student who usually stinks up the classroom is absent. Sometimes we educators need a hard reset to remind us that our students are humans, with very real struggles, concerns, and oftentimes traumas that we could be completely unaware of. If I can help a student realize that they aren’t alone, that they have value, and that they deserve love, they will have learned far more than if they can recite all 150 prepositions or properly cite a source using MLA."

- Farmington School Dist 265

"Aaron was a wonderful speaker for our teachers. His genuine lesson of resiliency and survival in the midst of a traumatic childhood struck a core with everyone. He has a true passion for helping others see the benefits of connecting, and for being there for others when they need it. His information was vital to learning how to protect our students from others and even protect our students from themselves when necessary."

- Farmington Junior High