Caiden Bonney was named Hemet-San Jacinto Student of the Month for Western Center Academy in March. From left, Melissa Bonney, Caiden, David Bonney, WCA Principal Paul Bailey. Valley News/D.L. Starkey photo
At the age of 18, some might think that martial arts instructor Caiden Bonney hasn’t lived long enough to know how to teach students about life lessons such as perseverance, resiliency, hard work and determination. Yet the young man has lived through more in the past five years than most people will experience in a lifetime.In November 2016, his mother had just dropped off his younger sister, Kiya, at a Menifee elementary school and was crossing a major intersection to walk back home. Although in a marked and traffic signal-controlled crosswalk, she was struck by a pickup truck that left her with severe brain injuries, prompting a medically induced coma for weeks.With major medical issues that required constant care, Caiden assisted his San Bernardino County firefighter/paramedic
