PARKERSBURG - These days, his wrap-around sunglasses help mask much - but not all - of the emotion that simmers just below the surface.

Just eight weeks after his father's unthinkable murder, Aaron Thomas still seems unflappable each day as he toils in and around the Aplington-Parkersburg football practice field. The 31-year-old has immersed himself in work, to keep his mind occupied by the daily tasks at hand.

"This is how he operates," said Aaron's wife, Ellie. "I think that helps him cope."

Of course, even that seemingly encouraging sign has a tinge of uncomfortable irony to it: Aaron Thomas' new job - after his emotional decision to leave Union of La Porte City - is serving as Aplington-Parkersburg's activities director. He has a tough act to follow: his dad, Ed.

"With the A.D. position," Aaron explained, "with all the stuff that will be coming this year, it just felt like the right thing to do.

"One thing with my dad," he continued, "was he always tried to do what was right. …

"If we (Aaron and his brother, Todd) can do that, and uphold the character that he and my mom taught us, then that's the best thing we can do for his legacy."

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Aaron Thomas can always summon the strength to talk about his late father. Lord knows that.

Half the free world watched on TV June 24, when Aaron stepped to the podium with peerless composure and addressed the media, just hours after his father, a pillar of the Parkersburg community, had been shot to death. For three minutes, Aaron thanked the people of Parkersburg for their support, encouraged his former neighbors to pray for the family of his father's alleged killer, Mark Becker, and even told the horde of reporters, "I thank you … for your coverage."

Throughout the memorable speech, Aaron barely so much as bit his lip. The son said he was simply doing, "what Dad would've done."

Also, Aaron added, "to be honest, I was probably in shock.

"It still hasn't all sunk in," he said earlier this month. "You know, I still don't think the full thing - the fact that I'm not gonna see my dad again - has completely set in.

"I can remember a lot of details of the day (June 24) but … yeah, it hasn't all sunk in."

Even while briefly baring his soul these days, Ed Thomas' eldest son stares right through you. Aaron, it appears, has blinders on, gazing straight ahead. This is a rare area where Aaron and his father differed; Ed had a slight Dick Vermeil feel to him and was never afraid to appear on the verge of tears - even in front of his powerful Falcon football teams.

But toughness was a key ingredient in both Aaron and Ed's DNA. Aaron's heartwrenching speech on June 24 provided ample evidence of that.

"In a way, it surprised me, just because of the circumstances," Ellie said of her young husband's words. "But that's just his personality.

"He's always been like that - he has amazing strength."

Now, more than ever, Aaron calls upon that courage.

"Some days are obviously better than others," he admitted. "On some, even small things will trigger memories. … It's definitely day-to-day."

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These days, Aaron fires footballs in A-P practice drills. The volunteer coach's pain doesn't seem apparent.

And his younger brother, Todd, shares in the catharsis, often smiling while he tutors Falcon offensive linemen.

"Being up here with all the kids, I think it's actually better for my grieving process," said Todd, 28, a full-time assistant with A-P this season.

"I miss hearing his voice out here," Todd said of Ed. "I miss seeing him walk around. But it does help, being back out here.

"It's helped me move forward."

Together, the brothers ensure that the aura of Ed Thomas lingers around the Falcons' practice field. Both Aaron and Todd shout some of the same instructions their father did during his hall of fame coaching career, imploring players to push themselves hard for four quarters.

"Aaron sounds just like Coach," noted A-P senior linebacker Jordan Simon.

Yes Aaron, especially, possesses a similar, somewhat gravelly voice to what Ed Thomas used to prod his teams to 292 wins during his 37-year coaching career. Aaron used similar philosophies to Ed's during a successful run as Union High's boys' basketball coach.

"The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree," said Falcon co-head coach Jon Wiegmann. "In both of them, I see signs of their dad."

Indeed, both sons patrol the practice field with the same strut of a leader their dad had. Their composure inspires awe.

"They," said Falcon co-coach Al Kerns, "are an inspiration to me."

Both brothers will likely be on the sideline Friday when Aplington-Parkersburg returns to the football field for the first time without their father. The game, against Dike-New Hartford, will be televised nationally on ESPN, which Falcon players admit will only add to their anxiety that night.

"You know," said Aaron, "for the kids I hope they can just go out, be kids - 17-, 18-year-old kids - and just go play.

"For myself, I hope I'm so busy I don't have time to think about it. I really hope I'm busy to the point where I don't have time to realize, I guess, that my Dad's not out there."

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If ever there were a daunting job description, Aaron Thomas currently possesses it. No one wants to follow in their father's footsteps like this.

Of course, the football practices, the familiar faces and the moral support seem to help ease his anguish. Most days.

But full acceptance of his father's murder may never come.

"It'll be very hard to make sense of it," said Aaron. Because "in my opinion, it's something that didn't have to happen."

Aaron and Todd's mother, Jan, still resiliently smiles at work most days and eagerly shared her new Parkersburg home with Aaron's young family this summer.

"You know, she's a very tough woman and kinda keeps everything in," Aaron noted. She's "the best you can be," given the circumstances.

"The whole Thomas family is way tough," noted A-P senior football star Alex Hornbuckle. "They just kept it together really well. I don't know how they do it."

Faith was always at the forefront in Ed Thomas' life. It remains a source of strength for Aaron.

The son's pain is a constant companion, yet his placid outward appearance almost defies logic - to observers, anyway.

"God has a plan, I guess. I don't need to understand it," he explained.

"I haven't asked ,'why?' That's not for me to know," Aaron added. "God doesn't need to explain to me why this all happened.

"I guess my faith makes me believe it's for the bigger picture. Without that, I don't know how you get through something like this."