I am very excited to be selected as one of the recipients of the Lutzie 43 PFL Scholarship! It was very easy for me to be inspired by Philip because I grew up in the same community and graduated from the same high school as he did. As a young kid, I loved going to the Friday night football games to watch Philip. When I heard the news of Philip’s passing I was devastated because I had lost my childhood hero. Since then I have aspired to follow in Philip’s footsteps by serving my community and spreading the foundation’s mission: ending distracted and impaired driving.
In my sophomore year in high school, I was selected by my lacrosse coach to be in the Lutzie 43 ASE. This was where I immersed myself into Lutzie’s 43 lessons. The curriculum taught me many skills that I implement in my life daily like the power of resiliency. After being a part of the ASE I had a deeper understanding of the foundation and immediately knew I wanted to be a part of it. Mike Lutzenkirchen came to the class one day to speak and had mentioned the PFL Scholarship. I was only a sophomore but I knew I would be applying once I was a senior because it was my chance to become an ambassador and advocate for this foundation I truly believed in.
I am honored that I have the opportunity to carry on the legacy of one of my biggest role models. I am thankful I have Lutzie’s 43 Lessons to help guide me down the path that Philip paved. I look forward to making sure Philip’s legacy and the Lutzie 43 Foundation continue to inspire young athletes and students like it did me.