Aidan Jonathan Phillips, 17, passed away leaving behind a quiet but deeply felt presence in the lives of those who knew him.

He was born on June 14, 2008 in Cleveland, TN and was a senior at Copper Basin High School.

Aidan was a thoughtful and creative soul whose passions reflected a curious and imaginative mind. He was incredibility intelligent and a savant in science. He loved gaming, especially exploring and building worlds within Minecraft and lesser-known obscure games, where his creativity could truly take shape. Over time, he developed a growing talent for photography, finding beauty in the details that others might overlook. His interest in science- particularly biology- spoke to his natural curiosity about how the world works.

At home, Aidan found comfort in simple, meaningful things. Aidan's personality at home was larger than life with his family. He was truly unique and one of a kind. Home life was filled with laughter and jokes. The happiest of memories was the sound of him and his brother laughing and joking. He cherished time with his cats, Jiji and Oscar and his dogs: Zuul, Jake, and Rey and enjoyed peaceful moments drawing, listening to music, or adding to his collection of crystals. Aidan was a curious crow who always found new shiny things to add to his collection. Especially his squishies for his nest. He had a love of building Legos, reading manga and watching anime, and immersing himself in stories and worlds that sparked his imagination.

Aidan also treasured trips to the ocean, where he could relax and feel at ease. He loved the aquarium, rock wall climbing and kayaking on the river with his family. The special times where he just shared what he loved with his mom. Aidan had many dad days with just dad. He especially loved spending time with his big brother gaming and cutting up at the Halloween store. Known for his signature hoodies, sweatpants and wild T-shirts, he carried a sense of proud individuality. He kept his circle small, but his friendships were genuine and meaningful-if Aidan cared about you, you knew it. He had a way of keeping your inner child alive.

Aidan will be remembered for his gentle spirit, his creativity, his goofiness, goblin dancing, and the quiet but lasting way he connected with others.

He is survived by his parents, Laura Phillips and Michael Schuhle; his best friend and big brother, Ian Phillips; grandmothers, Melanie Schell, Holly Phillips, and Debra Imbriale; grandfather, Ted Schuhle; aunts and uncles, Joe Mokhtarani, Ben (Bere) Mokhtarani, Aura (Jason) Hesse, Kate Notto, Trish (Vern) Gillette, Danielle (George) Parjus, and Teddy (Jenny) Schuhle; great aunts and uncles; Meg (Don) Imbriale, Daniel Imbriale, James (Debbie) Schuhle, and Robert (Rita) Schuhle. He leaves behind a significant number of friends and extended family members.

Aidan's life will be celebrated on Saturday, May 16, 2026 from 2:00 PM until 5:00 PM at the McCaysville City Park in McCaysville, GA.

Aidan's family would like to extend their deepest gratitude for the amount of love and kindness they have received from the community but especially from their family of friends at Fannin County Fire and EMS, the Fannin County School Board, and the Fannin County School System Transportation Department.

Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.akinscobb.com.

Akins-Cobb Funerals & Cremations of Copperhill is in charge of arrangements.