Thank You, Ivan
A story that brought me to tears.
Hey, I’m alive! I’m currently in Grand Junction, CO. We had our day off yesterday in North Platte, NE where a severe thunderstorm was headed our way & fortunately got out of there before it became an issue. It’s been a whirlwind short few weeks of being on tour. It’s felt longer than it really is, but at the same time seems to have moved at a rapid pace. Does that make any sort of sense?
Probably not.
The shows on this tour have been overwhelming, to say the very, very least. The tremendous levels of love & overall energy at these shows has really put what we do in perspective. Justin & I were talking the other day about how all this is bigger than us. The community that has been built around what we do is so beyond our comprehension and it gives what we do so much more meaning. Multi-generations of people coming to our shows, singing together under one roof, all unified in our love for music. Music really is a universal language that brings all walks of life together and it’s a beautiful sight to see onstage.
I want to share a story about someone I met briefly during our set in Nashville. Someone that I learned more about after the fact. The night of our show at Sonic Temple, I went to watch Avenged Sevenfold, and then proceeded to head to the bus to get some sleep. As I was getting myself situated to get some shut eye, I opened up Instagram, saw a video I was tagged in (which happened to be from this wonderful human being in Nashville), and then I wept in the back lounge of our bus. The video hit me at the core. A video that inspires & motivates me to continue doing what I do.
His name is Ivan. At a young age, he was diagnosed with Dandy Walker Syndrome & cerebral palsy. He was adopted by a lovely family who clearly loves & cares for him so deeply. During our set, I saw Ivan & his loving Mom (Cheyenne) having a blast on my side of the stage, so I jumped offstage during one of our songs to make sure Ivan got one of my guitar picks. It wasn’t until later that I learned more about his life & his journey. But, the caption to the post alongside the video just hit me so incredibly hard. I’m teary eyed as I type this.
You can never, ever put a price on the kind of impact you can have on others, but more importantly, the impact that others can have on you. Ivan’s story inspires me on every level possible. Gives what I do even deeper meaning than it already does. Thank you, Ivan & Cheyenne. Your journey & your story will forever have a lasting impact on me. Also, from here on out, you’ll be on our guest list for any show(s) you want to come out to in the future.
Clearly, this tour has had an incredibly positive impact on me. Just a few shows left this week! And then we’ve got LOTS more to announce soon.
Thank you to everyone who has come out to a show on the Family Tree tour. We fucking love you so much!
this is so beautiful and you nick are such an amazing selfless human with such a beautiful soul! thank you for everything you do for all of us and for genuinely caring!!!
Hearing this story warmed my heart & made my day a lot brighter! Nick, you have such a kind & radiant soul; I hope you never forget the positive impact you’ve made on my life & so many others. You are so special to me & I feel lucky to know you! Thank you for connecting with me during shows, you help me remember that I’m cared for & I’m not alone. I know I say this a lot but it truly means everything to me 🫶 I also wanted to tell you that I made a lovely new friend at the Mobile show! I’m so glad I met her, your music really does bring people together & it’s a beautiful thing to experience! I had such an amazing time seeing you on this tour, can’t wait for the next one! Much love ❤️