Aeryn was raised in Groton, New York, and graduated from Groton High School in 1991, where he was a member of the chorus and the Varsity boys track team. From a young age, Aeryn was very deeply involved in the Roman Catholic Church, serving as an altar boy and later as an acolyte. An exuberant student, Aeryn earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from Franciscan University, as well as two masters degrees: Theology & Christian Ministry from Franciscan University and International Relations from Webster University in Vienna. Aeryn was also an accomplished athlete and model for advertising campaigns, including Vienna’s popular charity event, The Life Ball. In 2005 and 2006, Aeryn was nominated Mr. Gay Austria, and was the first runner up in the international Mr. Gay 2006 competition. Beginning in 2003, Aeryn was employed as an economic research clerk for the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Vienna, Austria, and was elected to UNIDO’s Staff Council in 2007. He was an employee of UNIDO when he disappeared in October 2007.
Aeryn’s mother Kathy Gilleran has a dedicated website to Aeyryn’s disappearance here.
Please note: Kathy Gilleran uses the original spelling of her family surname.