Aiden Kaplan is now a 20-year-old college student. What's even more amazing, he documented his transsexual transition on Facebook.
For the first time, Kaplan is telling his story.
This story evolved in the wake of a story Eyewitness News did of fired transgender teacher who just became public at age 59. READ PREVIOUS STORY Her only regret is that she didn't do it sooner.
Aiden Kaplan, born Meghan, did make a change early as a teenager with the full support of his mother.
"It's the best feeling to look down and feel my body matched my brain," said Aiden.
It's an extraordinary journey that 20-year-old Aiden Kaplan decided to make public on Facebook, documenting his transition from a girl, Meghan, to a boy.
"When did you realize you were a boy trapped in a girl's body, When did you know that you wanted to be a boy?" Sarah Wallace asked.
"I think it's always inside of you," Aiden said.
"You were a tomboy?" Wallace asked.
"Completely, but I had this irrational fear of being feminine, When I was little people would call me her or she and I hated it," Aiden said, "It was pretty much the summer between 9th and 10th that I was at the edge of a cliff and it was either jump and hope that you can fly or fall. And I had to try."
"So you went freshman year as a girl and came back as a boy?" Wallace said.
"Yeah. And it was the best decision I ever made," Aiden said.
But his mother, who's been completely supportive, does admit her son's announcement initially came as a complete shock.
"He was a tomboy, the stereotypical tomboy. I never knew that he was really a boy trapped in a girl's body," said Lori Shea, Aiden's mother.
"So all of a sudden, he just said to you, I'm transgender?" Wallace asked.
"Yeah. And we were actually having a family gathering and he was sitting on the stairs leading up to the bedroom, and matter of fact, said,"I'm transgender," Shea said.
"Is it hard?" Wallace asked.
"Oh, my God, of course it's hard, but harder is seeing your child in pain. They're not in the body they're supposed to be and it's not just a physical issue, it's mentally," Shea said.
There were months of consultations with doctors and therapists. Aiden then started hormone blockers after living for a year as a male, and finally got surgery to remove his breasts.
"I had them removed and it was the most liberating experience. And I've had everything pretty much from underneath my arms to my knees re-sculpted," Aiden said.
He admits he had plenty of fears which he posted in a remarkable YouTube video called…"I am afraid of". WATCH YOUTUBE VIDEO
"It was one way to share these fears that I was having. I was so afraid to share with anybody." He continues "I'm still the same person as I was before I transitioned. I just have different exterior. And that's the most important thing to prove to someone is that we're all still people," Aiden said.
"And he's the person he's supposed to be and he's living his life. I couldn't be more proud of him and I can't wait to see what he's going to do," Shea said.
LINK: VIEW EXTENDED INTERVIEW
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