Band family: a term that basically every sort of band-associated ensemble will make. I've heard this term be used since I picked up my flute in 6th grade, and it applied all through junior high, high school, and now college. Some say it's cheesy, some say it's overused, but I say that it is beyond true.

I am a first year member of the marching band at my school, the Baylor University Golden Wave Band. You may have seen our name on headlines in the past few days, as we have been mourning the death of one of our trumpet players, David Grotberg. He passed away in a hit-and-run accident on Thursday night, and when the band found out on Friday morning, we walked around campus all day feeling numb, shocked, and extremely saddened.

I'll be honest and say that I did not know David personally. But for some reason, his passing affected me in a way that I hadn't really been moved before. My thoughts were filled with the sad facts rolling through, like the fact that there would be a hole on the field that couldn't be filled, symbolizing something much deeper than just a marching spot. He left behind a great legacy of enthusiasm at Baylor, and especially in our band program.

There's something about the "band family" concept that I can not describe. It's something that not many understand- I truly believe that making music with other people creates an authentic bond that can't be formed in any other way. That was part of what made David's death so hard to accept, but it also reminded the Golden Wave how special it was for us to be part of a great organization.

On Friday, instead of practicing our intricate homecoming show as planned, the band met to reflect, mourn, and pray together. While reflecting, a fellow member said: "If you didn't know David, find a picture of him smiling. You'll realize that you actually did know him." And she was right. When I saw pictures of David, I saw a bright smile that I had definitely seen before. The kind of smile that sticks with you. Her comment was one of many positive remarks about David in those two hours that the band spent together. In that difficult time, the bonds within the Golden Wave became so much stronger. We laughed together at funny stories about David, and cried together as we mourned the loss of a part of us. We had to be each other's family in that time.

Even other bands reached out to us in a way that overwhelmed us; the University of Texas and University of Oklahoma's marching bands dedicated their halftime shows to David as a way of expressing their condolences to the Golden Wave. Oklahoma State University's Cowboy Band recorded a video of them playing Baylor's Alma Mater to pay tribute to him. Additionally, their trumpet players wore green and gold bandanas to the football game. I hope they know how grateful the Golden Wave is for their small acts of kindness, because it meant the world to us. But the point is that if that isn't band family, I don't know what is. Regardless of where you go, a good band family has people who care for each other whether they know your name or not. It has people who will always support you, and people who you know you can depend on.

So if you have ever been in any ensemble with me, whether it be my 6th grade flute class, a marching band, or a wind ensemble, thank you. Thank you for working harder to better yourself as a musician and as a person in band. Thank you for pushing out of your comfort zone and for powering through the rough days. But most importantly, thank you for being in that family. It's why I love what I do.