BY KAREN BOSSICK
Hunter Diehl felt as if he was driving into the apocalypse as he drove away from the U.S. Air Force Academy—sent home early because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The roads leading out of Colorado Springs were foggy. And stores along the way were emptied of toilet paper and more.
“It was weird. I thought, ‘We can do better than this,’ ” he said.
So, the 2019 Sun Valley Community School graduate penned a song he titled “When the World Went Crazy,” in which he implored his fellow man to lend a helping hand.
“When the world goes crazy, don’t stand by. Pick it up and live a better life,” he sings.
“The song talks about people dropping dead and it ain’t their fault. “And, oh, we’re going crazy and here I am writing this song,” he said.
This is not his first go-around at penning a song. Last summer he recorded an album of 12 songs he called “Crossroad” that’s available on Apple Music, Spotify and iTunes. The album--recorded in the pre-Coronavirus Pandemic era—features songs about love and growing up in a small town.
The album features such songs as “Dance in the Rain,” “A Call Home,” “Hometown” and Can’t Live Without You.”
One of four 2019 Idaho grads to head to the Air Force Academy, he has yet to declare a major but is considering civil engineering—he could build air force bases or maybe serve as a pilot.
“I wanted to serve my country in some way,” said Diehl, a competitive freestyle and big mountain skier with Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation. “Plus, the Air Force Academy has small classes and it’s a guaranteed ride out of high school.”
After taking the oath of office in late June, Diehl began a rigorous six-week orientation program, which introduced him and other freshmen to military lifestyle and basic combat skills. The first year was “awesome—very busy with homework and other tasks,” he said.
It also meant following a lot of rules imposed on freshmen, such as having to run to class and being forbidden to talk in the halls. The academy shut down just as those rules were scheduled to be relaxed, he said.
Though a young man, Diehl says he’s not one of those to flout social distancing recommendations, as did young beachgoers in Florida.
“We had a run of stomach flu at the Academy in October. And, with the close quarters and people eating together, it spread really quickly. So, I ‘m thinking: We could get this at the Academy. But now they’re talking about doing the rest of the semester online so we may not go back to school.”
Diehl says his vision of Sun Valley as a safe place tucked away from the cares of the world have been shattered by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Everyone told me as I was leaving, ‘You’re going back to Idaho. You’re not going to get sick.’ And now look at what’s going on. It’s weird. I never thought this place would become overrun with sickness like this.”
WHEN THE WORLD WENT CRAZY by Hunter Diehl
“12 hour drive just trynna get home
All through the night but I’m good to go
People going broke buying all the stock
Thinking it’s the end but this world won’t stop
And oh they’re going crazy
And here I am writing this song
There’s so much between right or wrong
People dropping dead and it ain’t their fault
And oh quite going crazy
Give a helping hand when the madness tracks you down
When the world goes crazy don’t stand by
Pick it up and live a better life
Yeah when the world goes crazy don’t stand by
Make it better don’t waste no time
They’re Stuck in the city while I’m caught up in the country
They empty the shelves while I save my money
All this greed gives the devil a home
When time are hard your true colors show
And oh we’re going crazy
And here I am writing this song
There’s so much between right or wrong
People dropping dead and it ain’t their fault
And oh quite going crazy
Give a helping hand when the madness tracks you down
When the world goes crazy don’t stand by
Pick it up and live a better life
Yeah when the world goes crazy don’t stand by
Make it better don’t waste no time
When lightning flashed across the sky
I was there to see the light
When The flames burn down and the sickness dies
Then we’ll know it’s time to fly
And oh we’re going crazy
And here I am writing this song
There’s so much between right or wrong
People dropping dead and it ain’t their fault
And oh quite going crazy
Give a helping hand when the madness tracks you down
When the world goes crazy don’t stand by
Pick it up and live a better life
Yeah when the world goes crazy don’t stand by
Make it better don’t waste no time
YOU CAN HEEAR THE SONG at: https://soundcloud.com/hunter-diehl/when-the-world-went-crazy
LOOK FOR HUNTER’S ALBUM at: https://music.apple.com/us/album/crossroad/1470721500