Man who leaped off cliff had wild side

The last words of Aaron Leslie Hayes’ life were, “I know.”

As he plummeted feet first Tuesday evening from a rocky ledge just west of the Post Falls Dam, the 25-year-old who loved music and people yelled those words back to his friend, Nick Keller, who had just told Hayes he was nuts.

Hayes hit the surface of the Spokane River 65 feet below, and died in the water. In the 24 hours that followed, friends, family and his fiancée gathered to recount Hayes’ life – one they say ended far too soon, in a manner that exemplified his wild side.

Hayes was known for his outgoing personality and willingness to perform the extreme. Hours before he died, Hayes recalled the time when he was 16 and jumped from the same set of rocks above the river, his mother, Lillian Booth, said.

Hayes had no intention of doing it again when he and five others left her three-bedroom duplex for Falls Park, his mother said.

But something changed.

To make the leap, Hayes needed to climb to the top of the cliff, then scale a wire fence that had numerous warning signs on it.

Tiffany Burt, an acquaintance of Hayes, told reporters on Tuesday, “We were all egging him on, saying, ‘Jump. Do it.’ “

But Keller, a co-worker who this week began living with Hayes and his mother, denies that anyone encouraged Hayes to leap from the ledge. There was “no egging on, no pushing to do anything,” he said. “Given, nobody said, ‘Don’t jump, it’s a bad idea.’ “

Had somebody spoken up about the dangers, Keller said, it might not have made a difference.

“It’s Aaron. He likes to do things like that. It’s just part of how he was, just into doing crazy things,” Keller said.

The stretch of river near the dam is notorious for being a popular jumping spot. Avista Corp. and the city of Post Falls installed a fence in 1992 to prevent the activity. One person was injured in a fall shortly after the fence was posted, but Hayes’ death is the first that officials can remember.

“It’s deterred some folks, but others insist on taking chances,” said Dave Ayres, a hydrosafety coordinator for Avista.

No changes are planned for the area, said David Fair, director of Post Falls parks and recreation. However, he was on the scene of the accident Wednesday to “see if there’s anything we can do.”

Authorities will actively patrol the area with a zero-tolerance policy, citing anyone who scales the fences for trespassing, said Andy Boyle, head of the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Recreational Safety and Marine Division. The citation is a misdemeanor and carries up to a $300 fine.

“Just obey the signs,” Boyle said. “It’s clearly posted.”

Hayes’ body was found Tuesday night by divers who had been searching for about 15 minutes, Boyle said. From the time authorities were called, Hayes was underwater for about 40 minutes. An autopsy performed Wednesday confirmed he died from drowning.

Born July 12, 1979, in Cincinnati, Hayes moved to Post Falls in 1991. He attended New Visions Alternative School but didn’t graduate. At 19, Hayes returned to Ohio to live with his father. Less than three years after that, Hayes was back in Post Falls, moving in with his mother.

Hayes tackled a number of jobs while in town, finally finding a good fit about three months ago at The White House Grill performing closing and janitorial duties. Booth said her son took care of her, mowing the lawn and helping with bills.

“He was my moral support, spiritual support, although he doesn’t know it,” she said.

Booth says her son had three true passions in life – music, Jesus Christ and family. Putting his qualities into words came in slow, thoughtful spurts.

“The unconditional love. His laughter. Huge heart,” she said. “He loved everybody. No prejudice against anything – what you looked like, what you wore, how you talked. Accepted everybody as people, with feelings and heart.”

On Wednesday, about 35 of Hayes’ co-workers came to his mother’s house on Ninth Avenue to reflect. On the lawn, the group formed a large circle and some stepped forward to give Booth hugs and offer words of condolence.

In a moment of spontaneity, Booth asked the young adults if they’d like to see her son’s room. Inside, Hayes’ fiancée of one month, Tonya Loosli, put on what she says was his favorite song, a blasting tune from Mushroomhead.

“He was an awesome drummer,” she told the crowd.

Hayes’ futon sat upright, a pillow and blanket still in place. The walls of his small room were a mesh of music and mayhem, with various posters of music groups such as Slipknot and the Misfits. Skull decorations were throughout, a stark contrast to Hayes’ collage of roller coaster postcards.

“Music was his whole life,” Loosli said, noting that Hayes began playing the drums when he was 2 and for the past year played in the local band Old School Insanity.

Hayes met Loosli where he met many of his friends – while working at The White House Grill.

“In the short time we know him, everybody really, really like him,” said owner Raci Erdem, who closed the restaurant Wednesday in deference to his mourning staff.

Erdem figures Hayes didn’t think anything would happen to him if he jumped from the ledge. Now, Erdem said he hopes Hayes will be the last to make such a mistake.

“Good guys die to give everybody else a lesson,” he said.