Wanted to please everyone
Growing up, Trevor was adventurous and loved doing things outdoors. He spent most of his time riding bikes, skateboarding, running, and playing lacrosse, amongst other things. When he wasn’t outside, he was hanging with his friends or watching wrestling. He bonded with his younger brother Evan over cartoons, video games, and wrestling. His parents frequently took the boys out to WWE matches, which they adored. Their family took many trips together, making memories in beautiful places like the Florida Keys, Coastal Maine, Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Mexico, LA, Las Vegas, and Disney World.
Trevor was a kind person who had an affinity for elderly people, especially his grandpa. One of his mother Kathy’s fondest memories of Trevor’s childhood was watching him learn about their pet rabbits. When one of their rabbits became pregnant, he monitored her every day until she gave birth. He took great joy in giving the babies away to friends and neighbors to care for. Kathy also delights in the memory of Trevor and his friends in elementary school, drawing elaborate maps and designs all over their sidewalk with chalk and how proud they were of their artwork.
While Trevor never quite figured out where he fit into the world, he had some ideas. He was drawn to psychology and sociology because he was a natural people person. He loved making people laugh and had a knack for making them feel comfortable and at ease. The year before his passing, he was making plans to go back to school to be an addiction counselor. Shortly before his death, he applied for a job with the local school district to work with differently abled teenagers.
Trevor struggled with anxiety and depression for most of his adult life, which led to self-medicating; this became a vicious cycle of highs and lows caused by triggering situations he faced. During his active addiction, he struggled with self-confidence and trust, and isolated himself. He pushed loved ones away. Kathy said that the hardest part of living with someone struggling with addiction was feeling powerless to help them and the guilt that caused.
His mother is grateful for the last nine months the family got to spend with Trevor because of how present he was in their family’s lives. “He took trips with us to visit family, stayed home for the holidays, and was even helping his dad with a project to turn a closet into a mudroom for me,” she recalls. Kathy says what she misses most about Trevor was the way he made her laugh and how he consistently expressed gratitude for the things she did for him.
Trevor’s mother, Kathy Armstrong, provided information for this narrative.
December 2, 1992 – March 30, 2019-Age 26
Portrait Artist: Jeremy Hebbel
Narrative Writer: Victoria Estes
