Music is a powerful tool when it comes to bringing people together. Songs can be used for various reasons, such as holidays and celebrations.
For one mother and son, Morgan Wallen’s 2022 hit single, “Thought You Should Know,” which he co-penned with Miranda Lambert and Nicolle Galyon as a tribute to his own mother, has taken on more meaning following the aftermath of an unfortunate and senseless tragedy.
Ethan Was A Victim Of The University Of Idaho Murders
A little backstory: Ethan Chapin was a victim of the University of Idaho high-profile, off-campus murders that took place in November of 2022.
Before his tragic death, Ethan sent his mother Stacy Chapin a text, which included Wallen’s “Thought You Should Know.” In the message, Ethan explained to his mom how excited he was to share the song with her on Mother’s Day.
“He was like, ’Mom, that’s pretty fitting for you,’” Stacy recalled of the song that features the lyric: “All those prayers you thought you wasted on me must’ve finally made their way on through.” Stacy added, “It will now always forever be my most favorite song. You wish you could be like, ‘Hey, Morgan Wallen, let me tell you how much you’ve touched our life by that.’”
Stacy And Her Late Son Ethan Bonded Over Wallen’s “Thought You Should Know”
After her son’s death, Stacy shares that the song has brought on more meaning to her. In an Instagram post, she adds, “It was a very touching moment between us. I listen to ‘I Thought You Should Know’ all the time.”
Stacy’s story of her lost son, who had been a big fan of Wallen and is also a triplet, happened to have made its way to the country music superstar.
Wallen Invited The Chapin Family To His Concert, Donated To Ethan’s Smile Foundation
On Friday (July 15), Morgan Wallen showed his generous heart by inviting The Chapin family to his sold-out One Night At A Time World Tour date in San Diego, California.
Along with gifting The Chapin Family tickets to his concert at Petco Park, The Morgan Wallen Foundation also donated a check to the Ethan’s Smile Foundation, which was created in honor of Stacy’s son and grants scholarships to local students attending the University of Idaho.
During the meet-and-greet, Stacy and her family, which includes her husband Jim and their surviving triplets, Maizie and Hunter, got to head backstage and snap photos with Wallen as shown on Instagram. They also got to meet the “You Proof” singer’s mother, Lesli.
“It was amazing… It was literally full circle,” Stacy shared with Fox News Digital. “His mom was there, and he visited and was kind. His mother was amazing. We all took lots of pictures.”
“It Was An Incredibly Bittersweet Full-Circle Moment”
“Last night, we met Morgan Wallen! He kindly gifted our family and friends tickets to his show in San Diego. Morgan’s mom, Lesli, even flew in! It was an incredibly bittersweet full-circle moment,” Stacy captioned a post on Instagram. “Truthfully, the show would have been enough. We were all over the moon, and then Morgan handed us a donation check to the @ethanssmilefoundation. It was one of the kindest gestures in my life. I still cannot believe it happened, and it isn’t easy to recognize it all came at a massive cost to our family. Morgan, thank you for everything 🙏.”
The Chapin Family Continues To Keep Ethan’s Memory Alive
Since Ethan’s passing, Stacy has done everything she can to keep his memory alive. Some of her actions in sharing Ethan’s story and honoring his legacy include writing a children’s book titled The Boy Who Wore Blue and releasing an apparel line benefiting the Ethan’s Smile Foundation.
“Y’all are so precious. It was an honor to get to meet you. Thank you for the book,” Wallen’s mom, Lesli, commented below Stacy’s Instagram post after the grieving mother gifted Lesli with a copy of The Boy Who Wore Blue.
Ethan was majoring in recreation, sport, and tourism management when he became one of four University of Idaho students brutally murdered on Nov. 13, 2022. Other victims in the tragedy include his 20-year-old girlfriend, Xana Kernodle, and her roommates, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Gonclaves, 21.
If you would like to donate to Ethan’s Smile Foundation, you can do so by visiting the foundation’s official website HERE.
Wallen’s One Night At A Time World Tour runs through 2024. A complete list of Morgan Wallen’s One Night At A Time World Tour dates can be found HERE.
