Aaron M. Petras was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, on the western bank of the Mississippi River in 1990. When he was two years old, his family moved to La Crosse, on the southwestern edge of Wisconsin. His family consisted of his mother, father, and sister; all of whom were raised in La Crescent, Minnesota—on the southeastern border of that state. Petras was an avid athlete as a young boy and often spent his free time playing baseball, football, and basketball. A graduate of Aquinas High School in La Crosse (2007), Petras continued his education at Viterbo University (La Crosse), where he is currently a Marketing Manager and a current graduate student.