Jake Mayer is a college student at Auburn in Alabama and is planning to study abroad in London for his second semester of sophomore year. At only 19, Jake has won a golf state championship, endured a great loss, and found his inner faith.

On July 2nd, 2006, while the rest Wisconsin’s teenage adolescents were getting ready for Summerfest, Jake was at home with his then-girlfriend spending time with his sisters and parents. Something they all hadn’t done in a while was to watch old videos of their younger years. The night was filled with laughter and reminiscing of old times: the perfect way to spend a summer night.

Nothing could prepare Jake for the lurid morning to come.

Jake’s body was adjusting to his early work schedule, so even when he’d get a day off, he’d still wake up around eight o’clock. For some reason, this day was different. Jake didn’t wake up until one o’clock in the afternoon. His eyes opened to his mom strangely at his bedside. She slowly informed that Stacey, Jake’s older sister, was involved in a major car accident. A witness said that as the automobile started to flame up, there was no hope for Stacey. It was a closed casket at the funeral service.

“I can’t really remember the four or five days after the accident,” Jake said.

Stacey was interested in everyone’s story; she frequently asked her friends and family questions about people she hadn’t seen in a long time.

“A few weeks before she died, she checked in on me to see if everything was okay,” Jake said.

A gorgeous and full-hearted girl on her way to bible study was taken from her family a mere ten miles from her house at the young age of 21 years old.

“I couldn’t comprehend why it was my sister. Why Stacey?” Jake said noticeably fighting off tears.

Throughout the interview, I could see that Jake overcame utter confusion and could still be positive with the changes in his life. He had always had a connection with God, but now it’s evident in how he talks and the way Jake can make people feel. In his head, Jake imagined a white board wiped completely clean of all religious viewpoints. Soon he realized that Christianity was and always will be his domicile of comfort.

For reasons that no one will ever figure out, the events taken place right before Stacey’s death were undoubtedly out of routine. What made Jake sleep in so late? It could have been that if he had received the call that early morning, the pain might have been too unbearable. God wanted him to finish the only good dreams he had left that day. Why did the Mayer’s randomly decide to watch their home videos? This was the last great memory of the whole family together. As I’m sure Jake would say, “Everything happens for a reason.”