I’ve heard Mike Lutzenkirchen speak several times about his son Philip’s life, death and legacy.

His emotion, his points, his mission never get old.

Mike will talk to any group willing to listen and give him some time. He drives thousands of miles a year. He has spoken to 190 groups since Philip – the former Auburn football standout and the person Mike calls his best friend -- died in a single-car crash on June 29, 2014.

Philip Lutzenkirchen was 23.

On this Monday morning, he was speaking to athletes at Fairhope High School.

On Sunday, he spoke to a rodeo group in Andalusia.

Philip Lutzenkirchen finished his Auburn career with 14 receiving touchdowns, most ever by a Tiger tight end. (Hal Yeager | AL.com file photo)

His honest speech, revolving around Philip’s life and death, has several points for attentive young people: Wear a seat belt. Don’t drink and drive. Don’t be out after midnight even if you haven’t been drinking because you don’t know who else has been.

“Any parent who gives their child a curfew after midnight is crazy,” he said.

Mike Lutzenkirchen talks about being a great friend instead of just a good friend. He said he has no doubt that Philip was a good friend to the three other people who were in the car the night of the 2014 accident near LaGrange, Ga. Lutzenkirchen wasn’t driving the car, but he had been drinking. Many of the friends had been that day. A great friend would have prevented anybody from getting in the car in the early hours of the morning to go to the convenience store for a can of smokeless tobacco.

There are plenty of tough moments in Mike’s talks about Philip.

Listening to him tell about coming home that Sunday morning after the accident to find a note instructing him to call a number he didn’t know and then falling to his knees when a coroner delivered the news of Philip’s death.

I was particularly struck this Monday by his account of having to reach out to his daughter Abby, who was on a bus on the way back from a club soccer tournament, before she could see the news on social media. He said he had one of Abby’s friends give the phone to the team’s coach.

“I told the coach, ‘I’m going to need you to watch my daughter for the next five hours. Her brother is dead,’” Lutzenkirchen recounted.

Philip Lutzenkirchen’s stats on the football field are well documented. He was a 1,000-yard receiver during his senior year in high school and ranked as one of the top tight ends in the country; he helped the Tigers win the 2010 National Championship, catching the game-winning TD pass in the Iron Bowl from Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton; he finished his career as Auburn’s all-time touchdown receptions leader at tight end with 14.

However, Philip was not only a star on the football field for most of his all-too-brief time on earth, he was – by all accounts – a star in life. He is described frequently as a loving son, brother and friend; a man of great faith and devout follower of Christ; the kind of person who would drive back from Auburn to Lassiter High outside of Atlanta to take a special needs student to prom.

It is that legacy that drives Mike Lutzenkirchen to travel from coast-to-coast these days.

Mike Lutzenkirchen talks to Fairhope students following his talk on Monday morning at the school. (Ben Thomas | bthomas@al.com)

“While football was an avenue for Philip, it was never what he wanted to define him,” Mike said. “The reason he is one of the most popular players in Auburn history has less to do with his on-field accomplishments, but more his kindness, generosity and dedication to Auburn ideals.”

Mike is a proud parent – a proud best friend – striving to make a difference in his son’s name. He established The Lutzie 43 Foundation in Philip’s memory. The goal is to develop the character of young people and their influencers by focusing on real world application.

He couldn’t be more serious about his work, his purpose. On Monday, he sternly reprimanded a couple of Fairhope students who clearly were not listening and distracting others. His tone that made me want to go to the principal’s office. He wasn’t trying to be a tough guy. He just didn’t want the majority of the students who were listening to be distracted from his message. It’s far too important.

The foundation has developed a curriculum called “43 Lessons to Legacy” aimed at empowering young people to make good decisions and leave a profound legacy. The curriculum is a 43-day lesson plan centered around 43 words that the Lutzenkirchen family and others believe make up the pillars of Philip’s legacy, and how they believe these can help others.

Mike’s goal is to get that curriculum in the hands of as many students as possible. He had an afternoon meeting with Baldwin County athletic director Marty McRae in hopes of furthering that agenda locally. Those interested in finding out more about the curriculum can reach out to the foundation at info@lutzie.com.

At the heart of Mike’s talks is this point: Here is what we believe Philip’s legacy is, and we are proud of it. What is your legacy going to be?

If you haven’t thought about that – no matter what age you are – now might be the time. Are we going to be remembered for winning football games or for making money or for our fame …. Or are we going to be remembered for investing in others’ lives?

Investing like Philip Lutzenkirchen did.