Jackson Aultman

Jackson Aultman, 17, of Huntsville, died on December 28, 2022, while visiting family in Oklahoma. He was born on October 10, 2005 in Albuquerque, NM. He was a Junior at Buckhorn High School and was employed as a trainer at the Ninja Obstacle Academy Huntsville for the last two years.

Jackson was a renaissance man who had a wide variety of academic, artistic, and athletic interests. Jackson participated in various leadership programs, starting as early as elementary school. Academically, he was passionate about science with a focus on biology, horticulture, and botany. He planned to apply to Auburn University in the spring to continue his higher education.

Jackson has always been very adventurous and active in numerous sports. Since age 8, he trained and competed in ninja obstacle course events. As the “Atomic Ninja”, he competed in the inaugural season of American Ninja Warrior Junior and successfully qualified for world competitions in multiple competitive ninja leagues. In 2021, he was selected as the Alabama State Games Youth Male Athlete of the Year. He also represented Alabama State Games as a Student Ambassador over the last two years. At Buckhorn High School, he participated in Cross Country and was the school’s first pole vaulter for indoor/outdoor track. He missed the majority of this season, due to injury, but he loved mentoring younger runners and yelling for his teammates with that unmistakable deep voice. His favorite sport was Obstacle Course Racing, which combined aspects of ninja and cross country. Since age 12, he proudly competed as a member of team OCR Tribe, and was affectionately nicknamed “Dash” for his speed in clearing obstacles. He competed in the pro division, and often placed in his age group. In 2021, he successfully completed a 24-hour obstacle course event and he was looking forward to pushing his limits in future races.

In his early youth, Jackson enjoyed participating in Theater productions. He took classes at Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater and portrayed “Tiny Tim” for 3 consecutive years in FPCT productions of A Christmas Carol, winning him a 2013 Huntsville Wings Award for Best Male Child in a Major Performance. Jackson loved painting, blacksmithing, woodworking, and creating art out of repurposed junk and clay. He had an intense love for nature and always felt most comfortable on a trail or in a tree.

With all he achieved in his short life, his parents are most proud of his kind, sweet spirit and how he showed compassion for and encouraged everyone he met. He touched many lives with his sense of adventure, no-fear mentality, and off-the-wall sense of humor. He loved his friends, co-workers, and teammates, and took great pride in coaching all skill ranges of athletes.

Jackson is survived by his parents Shelly Aultman and Amy Walden of Huntsville; his younger brother Chase Aultman; grandparents Ed and Cathy Walden, Stilwell, OK; grandmother Margueritte Aultman, Decatur, AL; aunt Lori Walden Babin (Scott), Prairieville, LA; aunt Penny Aultman, Birmingham; uncle Al Aultman, Decatur, AL; cousin Tristan Babin, Baton Rouge, LA.

He is preceded in death by grandparents John Shirley Aultman, Mike Walden, and Linda Walden.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donations to the Arbor foundation, State/National Parks, or your local animal shelter.

Memorial services were held in his hometown of Huntsville, AL.