I am extremely blessed to be a recipient of the 2023 Prepared for Life (PFL) Scholarship given by the Lutzie 43 Foundation. I am honored to carry on Philip’s legacy by promoting safe driving habits to those around me. After reading the Safe Guarding Your Legacy Curriculum, I can now effectively teach others about the importance of not driving distracted, impaired or unsafe.

Many lessons were taught throughout the Safe Guarding Your Legacy Curriculum. The one lesson that resonated with me the most was the lesson about perseverance.  The definition of perseverance in this lesson is ”steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty; a state of grace.” This lesson also states that how someone reacts through challenging times will determine the character of that person, as well as their success in life. Philip was faced with many obstacles and injuries during his football career but he chose to preserve and push hard to overcome them. He taught many people how to fight for their dreams and what they believed in. I believe the world could benefit from Philip’s life and legacy, as well as his family’s willingness to push forward despite such heartache in losing their son.

I was very blessed to learn about Philip’s story at a school assembly where his father, Mr. Mike Lutzenkirchen, talked to us about Philip’s life, legacy, and tragic passing.  We learned about the dangers of distracted, impaired and unsafe driving, and were presented with keys to serve as a reminder of the 43 Key Seconds that we should follow each time we get behind the wheel. Philip’s story has made us all aware of the dangers that unsafe driving can cause. It is evident that Philip made a huge impact on everyone he met here on earth, and I believe that Philip would be proud to know that his story saves the lives of many people today.

The impact of Philip’s life and legacy goes way beyond his success on the field at Auburn University. His football career was extremely impressive, as well as his legacy as a generous, kind, and positive young man. The Lutzie 43 Foundation motto states that we should “Live like Lutz, Love like Lutz, and Learn from Lutz”. Each one of these aspects offers lessons that have had an impact on my life, as well as the lives of many others. I believe that Philip was a bright light to many others during his short life here on earth, and I hope to continue his legacy by being a bright light for others through my journey in life.  I cannot thank the Lutzie 43 Foundation enough for allowing me to be a representative for Philip.