When you walk around Orange City, Iowa, names usually stick to the sides of buildings or the backs of jerseys, but some names just settle into the atmosphere of the town itself. Aden De Jong Orange City IA is one of those names. Most folks in Sioux County knew him before they "knew" him—maybe as the tall kid with the wicked arm on the MOC-Floyd Valley pitcher’s mound, or perhaps just as the friendly face at the First Reformed Church who always seemed to have a second to chat.
He wasn't just another college student or another athlete. Aden was a 22-year-old senior at Northwestern College, a guy who was basically the heartbeat of the Red Raider baseball dugout. When news broke in early 2025 that he had passed away unexpectedly, it didn't just make the local papers; it stopped the town in its tracks. It's rare for a single person to leave such a massive void in a community of 6,000, but Aden wasn't exactly your average local.
Who Was Aden De Jong from Orange City?
Honestly, to understand why the loss hit so hard, you have to look at how deep his roots went. Aden was Orange City through and through. Born in 2003 to Daron and Emily De Jong, he grew up in the MOC-Floyd Valley school system. He was that kid who did everything. He played basketball, ran track, played in the band, and was even involved in speech.
He graduated high school in 2021 and didn’t look far for his next chapter, choosing Northwestern College right there in his backyard. He was a Biology and Secondary Education major. He wanted to be a teacher and a coach. And if you saw him with the 7th and 8th-grade baseball teams he coached during the summers, you knew he was a natural at it.
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The Impact on Northwestern College Athletics
At Northwestern, Aden was a pitcher for the Raiders before transitioning into a student coach role. You’ll often hear coaches talk about "glue guys"—the players who hold a locker room together even when things are going south. Aden was the ultimate glue guy.
- The Unsung Hero: In 2024, he won the inaugural "Unsung Hero Award" at the N-Dub athletic awards.
- The Student Coach: Even when he wasn't the one throwing the heat, he was the one the younger players looked to for guidance.
- The Academic: He wasn't just a sports guy; he was a regular on the Dean's List, proving he put in the work when the lights were off, too.
What Really Happened in February 2025
It's the kind of phone call no parent should ever get. On Monday, February 3, 2025, Aden passed away unexpectedly at the Orange City Area Health System. He was only 22. The suddenness of it was a physical blow to the campus.
The grief wasn't contained to the locker room. Because Aden was so active in the First Reformed Church and the local hunting and fishing circles, the entire county felt the weight. His funeral was held that following Sunday at the church, with a private interment at West Lawn Cemetery.
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"Live Like Aden"
In the months following his passing, a phrase started popping up on social media and local t-shirts: "Live Like Aden." It sounds like a typical memorial slogan, but for people in Orange City, it actually meant something specific.
It was about his "no-fear" approach to kindness. Red Raider baseball head coach Brian Wede put it best when he said Aden lived without fear of judgment and loved unconditionally. He was a man of deep faith, often seen at the Mondays for Men Bible Study or leading youth groups. For the 2025-2026 sports seasons, teams in the area have adopted this mantra as a way to focus on character and respect over just winning games.
A Legacy That Isn't Fading
You’ve probably seen the news about the Aden Matthew De Jong Memorial Scholarship Fund. It was set up at Northwestern College to help future students who share his passion for education and coaching. It’s a way to make sure his name stays on the roster, so to speak, for decades to come.
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He left behind his fiancé, Hailey Van Dyken, whom he had proposed to just the summer before his passing. Their story is a reminder of how much life he had squeezed into those 22 years. He wasn't waiting for "someday" to start his life; he was already living it—hunting with his dad, teaching Sunday school, and planning a future.
Practical Ways the Community is Remembering Him
- Scholarship Support: Local businesses and families have been contributing to the NWC scholarship fund to keep his educational goals alive for others.
- Athletic Tributes: The Raiders continue to honor him during their seasons, keeping his jersey or number present in the dugout.
- Community Service: Many young athletes in Orange City have taken up the mantle of coaching youth ball, inspired by the way Aden treated his players.
If you’re looking to honor the memory of Aden De Jong Orange City IA, the most direct way is through the memorial scholarship at Northwestern College. You can also see his impact by attending a Raiders game or just by being a little bit kinder to the people you run into at the local coffee shop. Sometimes the best way to remember a local hero isn't a statue, but just trying to match the energy they brought to the room every day.
If you're in the Sioux County area, keep an eye on the Northwestern College Athletics page for upcoming memorial events or "Live Like Aden" nights at the ballpark. Those moments are when the community really comes together to celebrate a life that was short, but incredibly wide in its reach.