Back in 2010, the Auburn Tigers Football program was on fire. The team, led by head coach Gene Chizik, celebrated win after win. The victories made quarterback Cam Newton a household name. The team would win the National Championship against Oregon, but, as with every season, the Iron Bowl was one of the most important games of the year, and it made another teammate a household name: Philip Lutzenkirchen.
The moment plays back in the minds of Auburn fans like an old home movie. After coming back from a 24-point deficit against the Tide, Lutzenkirchen caught the game-winning touchdown from Newton in the fourth quarter. The energy inside Bryant-Denny Stadium could be felt even by those watching at home. Lutzenkirchen made the catch look easy. The team celebrated, fans screamed and University of Alabama coach Nick Saban displayed a look of pure disgust.
Lutzenkirchen, a Georgia native, had worked hard to get to where he was. His teammates lifted him in excitement and cameras snapped, freezing that moment in time.
Lutzenkirchen signed with the St. Louis Rams but his NFL dreams were cut short due to an injury he sustained in college.
Only one year later, Lutzenkirchen was killed in a car crash in LaGrange, Ga. After drinking with friends, Lutzenkirchen got into an SUV to go on a chewing tobacco run to a nearby gas station. The speeding driver blasted through a stop sign and crashed into a ditch. Lutzenkirchen, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was thrown from the vehicle and killed instantly.
The Lutzenkirchen family was devastated. However, they wanted to continue his legacy of generosity and dedication to his community.
The Lutzie 43 Foundation was established shortly after the crash. The mission is to end distracted, impaired and unsafe driving.
The foundation's motto for drivers is to "Live like Lutz, Love like Lutz, and Learn from Lutz."
Lutzenkirchen's father, Mike Lutzenkirchen, told 1819 News that the foundation runs an end-of-year fundraising push in the last 43 days of the year, representing his son's number at Auburn.
"We're in our 11th year of the foundation and each year we don't kick off our year-end fundraising campaign on Giving Tuesday," Mike Lutzenkirchen explained. "We kick it off on November 19th, because that's the start of the 43rd day, 43 days left in the calendar year."
The foundation, which helps educate drivers, is now working on a nationwide initiative. The 43 Key Seconds Initiative was created to develop the first nationally recognized symbol for distracted, impaired and unsafe driving.
The 43 Key Seconds key serves as a physical reminder for drivers to review safety procedures.
"Basically, what it says is before you start your vehicle of any nature, no matter what your driving experience is, where you're driving, what time of day you're driving, or your driving experience, you ask yourself before you start the vehicle, 'Do I have a clear head, clear hands, clear eyes?" Mike Lutzenkirchen said. "So, to protect everybody using the roads, other drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, you've got to step back until you're clear of mind to be able to drive."
In less than 43 seconds, Philip Lutzenkirchen made history at the 2010 Iron Bowl. While that moment went on to inspire many, Mike Lutzenkirchen said he hopes even more are inspired by what the Lutzie 43 Foundation has done since his tragic loss.
More information about the 43 Key Seconds initiative, driving summits, partnerships, scholarships and how to give, is posted online.
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