I Will Remember
Lexi was deeply affected by events that occurred in her hometown of Ogallala, Nebraska involving two drunk driving accidents. Both changed lives forever. Her grief was changed to compassion for those who have suffered and that compassion was expressed in writing "I Will Remember". Now, this one song is making its way into schools across the country, with a powerful message:
Before getting into the car with someone who has been drinking, before getting behind the wheel of a car after you have been drinking, will you remember? Will you remember that your life, and the lives of others on the road can be forever changed in one moment, in a moment that can never be undone? Yes, if it can happen once, it can happen twice. But it doesn't have to happen at all.
For more information on how this song is impacting youth and how you can invite Lexi to your school contact: KP Nashville Music Management.
The Story Behind the Song
I spent my first year in Nashville learning and writing songs that symbolize "me" as a young woman. My time was spent writing songs about memories, feelings and the people that touched my heart. I had shared a lot of stories with Karin and Nathan and together we knew there needed to be a song that would remember the moments that change an entire community forever. My hometown Ogallala, Nebraska has had its fair share of loss and tragedy over the last few years and as hard as it has been I have been amazed to watch people, young and old pull together in times of sorrow and pain. Here is my song for you, "I Will Remember." This song is for my hometown, my friends and family and anyone who has experienced loss, loss of someone special, loss of their youth, and loss of a second chance.
The first part of this song is dedicated to one of my greatest friends who I love very much. In our youth we feel invincible and never think bad things will happen to us. The truth is it only takes a split second and one bad decision to change everything. We all make mistakes in life but what matters the most is learning from those mistakes and moving on to live the best life we can. My friend is doing that; he now travels within his home state telling his story and influencing others to think about the choices they make and the consequences that can follow. I am so proud of the man he has become.
Last March on a spring break trip to Alabama one of my best friends was killed in a car accident. His name was Garrett Schlichtemeier. He is the son of Jeff and Shari and brother of Laramie Schlichtemeier. He was a great friend and teammate; he did everything to the best of his abilities. He loved football and went on to play in college at Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska. He put as much effort into his education as he did football. He loved country music and was always my favorite person to talk music with. We were introduced to Shania in daycare and we sang her songs together till our senior year in high school. One memory that stands in my mind is when we were sophomores in high school. Since we had been in the same class since preschool, he knew very well that math was not my thing. One day I asked him for the answers for my math problems and he looked at me and said "Lexi, I am not giving you the answers, you need to figure it out."
Needless to say I never asked for the answers again, but I did ask for help two weeks later and he gladly explained the math problem to me. He was a wonderful person and his donated organs have saved seven lives. His family believes that his spirit lives on through them.
We all handle loss differently and everyone grieves in his or her own way. Life will always bring us amazing highs and devastating lows, but I hope this song helps you remember, remember there is always love and hope, with these things life can and will go on.
This song is also dedicated to the families of the late Warren Robertson, Jeremy Eichner, and Renee Burress.
