In the spring of 2004, I was a lot younger than I am now. I had just released my first rock CD, "CLIMB", with the band I had at the time, The Shane Cooley Band. We performed in small local venues, and I would belt out the heartfelt lyrics of my songs so that even those who didn't wish to hear me couldn't escape. It happened to be at a local Warsaw gig that I met face-to-face my true guardian angel. Her name was Kendall Ashton. The month before she had become an avid fan of my music, and started a fan website. Her older brother, Kyle, and I were friends from school, and through his friendship I was able to meet Kendall and her loving family. It didn't take me long to realize that for a 12 year old girl, she had wisdom well beyond her age. I could see Kendall in the audience that night, singing every word to my songs and I was impressed. She also was most likely the first fan to scream at a Shane Cooley concert.

As time passed by, Kendall and I became close friends, and there was seldom a day that didn't greet me with an email from her. I soon found out that Kendall also had a knack for music, and had written a few songs of her own. After having her sing one of my songs with me at a gig, I decided to have her and Kyle over to my house to record her own CD. I could record enough to make her a CD to pass around to friends and family. We wrote a couple of songs together, and for a 12 year old girl she had pipes. I remember Kyle and I sitting in the studio listening to her do the vocal tracks with chills running down our spines in awe of her beautiful voice.

There has never been a better friend or fan then Kendall. She would wake up and go to sleep to Shane Cooley music. Even when my band dissolved, she still stuck with me and continued to rock out to the solo stuff. Kendall was one of those friends that really was a friend. There was nothing fair-weather about her. She was always listening to radio shows hoping to hear me on them. Her mother told me she couldn't even count how many nights Kendall's family nearly jumped out of their skin when she screamed "SHANE's ON THE RADIO!" Ah yes, and scream she did. It didn't matter whether I was playing at a festival or a Williamsburg coffeehouse, Kendall would scream like Beatlemania. When she couldn't make it to a gig, I would always have one of my friends call her on a cell phone to hear a song, and they would have to hold the phone away from their heads because she would scream so loud. In fact, she earned the nickname "Screamer."

Kendall was a very energetic, vibrant girl with a heart of gold and a positive attitude. However, Kendall had health problems from the beginning, which made it so she had to be home schooled. She never let that stop her though. She was bound and determined to do everything she could to be the best friend and fan she could be. For my 18th birthday, Kendall sent out surveys to all of my friends, music friends, and family for them to put messages to me on, and put them all together in a book. She would always do special things for her friends, even when there was no special occasion. Kendall was also a wiz on the computer, and maintained several fan sites as well as a website for her own music. When others with her illness would have given up, she kept trying.

A couple days ago, Kendall Ashton left this earth. For nearly 14 years of life, Kendall accomplished more than many do in an average lifetime, and had many blessings. Not only was she able to perform to audiences, make a CD, write songs, run websites, and perform plays in her church, but she had an immense group of family and friends who loved her and looked up to her in so many ways. There's not a single person who knew Kendall that wasn't touched by the glow that emitted from her smile. She will always be remembered, and we will always learn from her. I know that wherever she is now, she will be screaming with joy at every musical success that comes my way, and I certainly owe a huge part of them to her. You see, without people like Kendall, writing and performing music would have no more meaning to me than putting on a CD player.

When it comes to my music, nothing makes me more proud than the fact that I have helped people like Kendall find peace with themselves. To see how she smiled at my gigs not only showed me that I helped her, but that she had helped me too. I will always try to make a difference with my music, and I wouldn't trade that for all the record deals in the world. I wish I could still help Kendall, but I know she will be right there by my side to help me.

I feel much older now than I did in 2004. A lot has happened to me since the days of "CLIMB" and The Shane Cooley Band. However, every time I think of those days I will remember Kendall screaming her heart out to my songs, and I will feel a little younger again.