Austin Carlile

Austin Carlile

Imagine standing in front of thousands of people, watching you with their eyes, as you slowly start to open your mouth to scream. Most people aren't familiar with this type of music, but there is an industry where screaming is considered a form of singing, and you are considered a musician. That is what my hero, Austin Carlile, does for a living. He is the lead screamer of a band called Of Mice & Men. Apart from the type of music he composes, his heroic acts and lyrics have inspired many of his fans, including me. Austin Carlile is a hero, because he writes meaningful lyrics, performs despite his heart problems, and does selfless acts, all for his fans.

Second And Sebring is one of Of Mice & Men's most well known and meaningful songs; It is a song about Austin Carlile expressing how much he wants to make his mother proud and thanks her for all that she had done when raising him. It can be seen most in these specific lyrics, "Come back so I can say thank you for this. Home cooked meals and a place to rest, my troubled head when you're away. I've passed the test, I've earned an A. Not just in school, but in life You'll always be right by my side. To help me show, hope to all.", "I hope that I make you proud. This is not what it is, only baby scars. We need your love like a boy needs his mother's side." This song made me appreciate my own mother more, I realized how lucky I am that she's still here; I still get my chance to thank her and make her proud.

Austin in the hospital

On May 28th, 2010, Austin had open heart surgery or to be more specific "valve sparing aortic root replacement". Following the surgery he had spent over a week in the hospital and three intense months of physical therapy. Despite this slight interruption from his music, he accepted the offer of producing music with Rise Records, a label company. Having the surgery helped him a lot with being able to live, and breathe music again; He would no longer have to live with the constant fear of his heart taking his life away. Even with his heart condition, he has the endurance and determination that inspires us all to never stop chasing our dreams, no matter what the circumstances may be.

In 2012, Of Mice & Men headlined in the annual Vans Warped Tour. I had seen countless stories from fans expressing their encounters with Austin. One story I read really stood out to me, it was about a fan who was standing in line, wanting to get an autograph. Like Austin, this fan had lost his mother at a young age so he asked Austin for some advice. He had let this fan watch his show from back stage and then talked to him afterward on his tour bus. He explained how they talked about their moms and how Austin had given him some really good advice. They cried and hugged and opened up to each other even though they had just barely met. The way Austin takes time to actually relate to his fans is beyond extraordinary. He changes the lives of others by simply acknowledging his fans and making each and every one of them feel special. He also voices the importance of wearing a seat belt and anti-bullying. Austin had been bullied throughout his childhood, even up until now; But this experience gave him the motivation to live the life he's living now and to make a stand against bullying.

An inspirational quote from Austin

Although it was accidental, I was lucky enough to meet this incredible man for myself. In shock, I briefly talked to him before he had to leave for a signing. I was immediately impacted when I had asked if I could take a picture of him. Instead, he told me to get in the picture with him; This made me feel ecstatic because he was including me in an everlasting memory that I would be capturing. Austin Carlile truly does take the time to make his fans feel important and appreciated. Even though he's been through so much, he still has the generosity to give so much love and care to his loyal fans. In my eyes, Austin Carlile is a hero, because he writes meaningful lyrics, performs despite his heart problems, and does selfless acts, all for his fans.