Survivor of Philip Lutzenkirchen crash speaks to Columbus and Brookstone baseball teams

ELLERSLIE — Tanner Case can't avoid the No. 43. Four to five times a day — sometimes more — the number crosses his field of vision. Sometimes it's when he looks at the clock. Recently, it's been due merely to the change in seasons, with a temperature of 43 staring back at him.

It doesn't bother him, though. It's a number near to his heart. On Sunday, it was emblazoned across his chest and on his back.

Case was wearing the jersey of his late friend, Philip Lutzenkirchen.

The former Auburn tight end was killed in a one-vehicle crash outside of LaGrange, Ga., on June 30. The driver of the vehicle, Ian Davis, died. Both were legally intoxicated.

Case was one of two survivors.

It's because of this tragic event that he was here Sunday night, at the country home of Clay Duncan, to speak to the Columbus High and Brookstone baseball teams.

Somehow, some way, Case is trying to see a positive spring from the deaths of two of his closest friends.

"My mind-set is, 'If it saves one life, then it's all worth it,'" said the 21-year-old Case, who is a junior building science major at Auburn. "I can't control how many people listen or how many people it affects. But I just hope and pray that the point is getting across and it's affecting lives."

From the looks of it, it appears to be working. Case — who had shared his story three times prior to Sunday — readily offers his phone number to players after he speaks. If they want to talk to him about something, he's there to listen.

Some have already taken advantage.

"I've had a few people contact me who said, 'You probably don't understand what that speech has done for me,'" he said. "That makes it worth it."

What does that speech entail, exactly?

Call it his testimony.

Before that fatal wreck, Case revealed he had never lost anyone so close to him so suddenly.

"You live in a bubble. You go through the motions. You don't think about death," he told those in attendance. "I know I didn't."

Now, it's on his mind often. Yes, the whole "live every day like it's your last" is well past the point of being cliche.

But after dealing with the emotions of losing two friends in an instant, Case admitted it forces a change in perspective.

"When you go through a situation like this, death is real. It's so, so real," he said. "When you see it for yourself, you know it's nothing anyone should ever have to experience. But it makes you realize how real death is and it changes the way you live, it really does. It's life-changing."

That's the reason he's here, after all. Steve Stinson, who has been a community coach at both Columbus High and Brookstone, saw a picture of Case on Instagram; it was Case speaking to the Stockbridge (Ga.) High School football squad. So Stinson reached out to Case about coming to share his story with Columbus and Brookstone baseball players.

Stinson lost a family member in similar circumstances to how Case lost Lutzenkirchen and Davis.

Stinson felt Case could grab their attention, as Case was fairly close in age to the players he would speak to.

"They don't listen to old people. They listen to kids. They listen to their peers," Stinson said. "So I felt it would be an opportunity to hear somebody — where the wounds are still fresh, the grieving is still going on — with the holiday season approaching and a lot of decisions will be made, to make a difference."

Stinson felt Case accomplished just that.

"Everything he said, I know he meant from the heart. His experience is painful. But like I told him, grieving is healing," Stinson said. "It's part of the process. You still grieve. ... But the more people who you surround yourself with, it helps you grieve and that helps you heal. The pain never goes away. It dulls from time to time. But the more you share your story with others and the more you share your faith, the better you feel."

Case agreed. The pain he feels still hasn't dissipated. With each passing day, however, things are getting better and better. He compared it to a scab; it's there, but given time, things improve.

Like anyone else, Case said he had to deal with the emotions of "Why me?" Why was he spared while Lutzenkirchen and Davis were not?

Owing to his devout faith, Case believes it was part of God's plan.

That's why he refuses to play the "what if?" game. He hasn't second-guessed himself about his actions that night, be it getting in the car or trying to convince Davis not to drive. In Case's view, it happened because it was meant to happen — part of God's plan for their lives.

Case understood that while many might question that line of thinking, he was at peace with himself.

"For me, it's simple: My relationship with Christ is why I don't question it," he said. "It's that simple. But if you don't have the same beliefs as me, I could see how you would disagree."

No, it doesn't make things any better. Neither Lutzenkirchen nor Davis is coming back. Case is able to find a silver lining, though.

He's comforted because he believes in his heart this separation is only temporary.

"It'll never be easy," he said, "but I'm able to heal because of the fact I know I'll be with them again, too. That's why it's getting better, day by day."

This story was originally published December 7, 2014 at 11:17 PM with the headline "Survivor of Philip Lutzenkirchen crash speaks to Columbus and Brookstone baseball teams."