lutzie 43 foundation
Today alone, 11 people will be killed in a distracted driving accident. More than 1,000 will be injured.
Several poor decisions led to an avoidable car accident that took the life of Philip Lutzenkirchen, a former Auburn University student-athlete and football stand-out whose impact went far beyond the football field. Nobody thought his life would end in an impaired driving accident, but it did. That’s why 43 Key Seconds initiative exists — to prevent drivers from making decisions that lead to accidents or fatalities caused by distracted and impaired driving.
The Story: The Lutzie 43 Foundation was established in loving memory of Philip Lutzenkirchen, shortly after his death in 2014. The objective of the foundation is to inspire people to make better decisions as drivers and friends, using Philip’s life and legacy to inspire change. The foundation’s motto for drivers is to “Live like Lutz, Love like Lutz, and Learn from Lutz,” reflecting our desire to help others live out the many positive character attributes that Philip displayed, while learning from the circumstances that led to his death.
The Mission: The Lutzie 43 Foundation exists to reduce the number of distracted driving incidents, ultimately diminishing the number of deaths caused by unsafe driving. The foundation fulfills this mission by encouraging and empowering young people to be positive ambassadors for safe driving, carried out through our 43 Key Seconds initiative. We aim to encourage and empower young people to be positive ambassadors for safe driving through character development, mentorship and real-world application.
43 Key Seconds Initiative: Inspired by the legacy of Philip, the Lutzie 43 Foundation started the 43 Key Seconds initiative with a goal of creating the first nationally-recognized symbol for distracted and impaired driving. This is accomplished through the 43 Key Seconds key, which serves as a physical reminder for drivers to take 43 seconds to prioritize safety behind the wheel.
Take 43 key seconds to complete the safe driving checklist:
Ensure you have a clear heard - one that is not affected by alcohol, drugs, emotions or fatigue.
Have clear hands - sent a text, adjust the radio and put all devices away so you can drive hands-free.
Set your sights on the road ahead. Do not look to the side at a passenger or down at a text.
Finally, click your seatbelt. It’s the law and could safe your life!
Sign the pledge & purchase a key: 43 Key Seconds initiative
Who is Philip Lutzenkirchen: a student-athlete both at Lassiter High School and Auburn University, yet his impact on the world went far beyond football. He was a loving son, brother, and friend. He was kind, generous and someone who went out of his way to help others. Philip had a large presence in the community, both in Marietta, GA, where he grew up, and during his time at Auburn. At Lassiter, he became one of the top tight end prospects in the country, and even appeared on ESPN’s “Top Plays” for a miraculous play where he caught a ball out of bounds and threw it to a teammate for a touchdown.
Eventually, Philip committed to play his college career at Auburn. At Auburn, everything came together for Philip and the Tigers in 2010 during their National Championship season; the first for the school in over 50 years. Philip became a household name when he caught the game-winning touchdown from Cam Newton in the Iron Bowl to defeat Alabama for the SEC West crown, sending Auburn to the SEC Championship Game.
Philip finished as Auburn’s all-time touchdown reception leader as a tight end with 14 TD catches. After going undrafted in the NFL Draft, Philip signed with the St. Louis Rams to achieve his goal of becoming an NFL football player, but due to an injury he sustained in college, his NFL career came to an end in the last cut prior to the 2013 season. While football was an avenue for Philip, it was never what he wanted to define him. His status as one of the most popular players in Auburn history has less to do with his on-field accomplishments, and more to do with his kindness, generosity and dedication to his community.
On June 29, 2014, Philip was at a farm in LaGrange, GA with friends hanging out and drinking. As the day turned into night and eventually early morning, a friend of Philip’s decided to make a run to a nearby gas station for a can of chewing tobacco. There were three other friends in the car and only the front passenger fastened his seatbelt. As the morning drew to past 3 a.m., the four friends left the gas station and headed down the two-lane highway nearing a T-intersection.
Though the posted speed limit was 55 mph, the SUV charged through the intersection, failing to see the posted stop sign, at 77 mph. The SUV flew off the road and into a ditch, most likely causing Philip to smash his head into the roof of the SUV. Philip and the other rear passenger, were not wearing their seatbelts and were thrown from the car as the car continued to travel into the air and off its wheels. Philip landed fifteen feet from the car’s final stopping position. Philip was killed instantly. He was just 23 years old. Though Philip has departed from us in this world, his legacy will never be forgotten.
Philip’s Legacy:
“He was a great young man who touched the lives of everyone he knew in a positive way. On the field, Philip was a great player and competitor, but more importantly, he was a great teammate and friend off the field." - Gus Malzahn
“I just thought he was always an outstanding player and certainly represented...his university in a first-class way and set a good example for a lot of people in a lot of ways." - Nick Saban
“When tragedy hit and Philip’s passing happened, I saw first hand how hard people were hit because of the number of lives he had touched and the impact he had made on virtually everyone he came in contact with." - Rece Davis
“We should all begin by honoring his life because he lived a life worthy of that. In his 23 short years, he has certainly left an impactful legacy to everyone he touched. I will miss him deeply." - Gene Chizik
How you can make an impact:
We’ve changed so many lives with the 43 Key Seconds and the PFL Character Scholarship, Adaptive PE Field Days, 43 Key Seconds talks and Safe Guarding Your Legacy: 43 Key Seconds Curriculum. Still, we know we can impact more people.
We are committed to ending distracted and impaired driving accidents and fatalities. We want to educate all drivers about being a better decision-maker behind the wheel. We want to give students, parents, corporations, organizations, and more the tools to ensure their safety on the road.
Your donation would directly impact a driver who needs to hear about the dangers of drinking and driving, a friend who needs to speak up when others are making poor decisions or a parent who needs an outlet to talk to their child about the dangers of distracted and impaired driving.
We need your help to finish this year strong and provide a solid foundation for our 2021 goals.
We ask that you consider giving to this important initiative. This campaign means a lot to the foundation, but it means more to the students who will be impacted by our work.
To learn more about Philip's story, check out this video.
Donate: https://www.classy.org/fundraiser/3045485
Thank you all so much for the support, it means the world to me.
XO,
Whit Web