Every year during the holidays, my family religiously watches “A Christmas Story.”  We can laugh and recognize ourselves in it.  (Spoiler alert… If you’ve never seen this!)  

But at the end, just before the neighbor’s hounds rush the house and abscond with the Christmas turkey, the narrator says, “Oh, life is like that. Sometimes, at the height of our revelries, when our joy is at its zenith, when all is most right with the world, the most unthinkable disasters descend upon us.”  And my friends, that’s precisely the way it was for us at the close of She Rocks.  

It was 10:30 pm, and we had just finished helping with an incredibly fulfilling event. It was time to celebrate with drinks and stories. It was certainly time to retreat to our hotel and turn in early from exhaustion. I went to the office to get my coat and clear up some last-minute details.  Brian, Jared, and Nicohl were getting ready to leave. And then it happened. Nicohl injured her leg. 

It was bad. This injury was not the “get some rest and it will be fine in a few days” kind of injury. Unfortunately she was transported to the ER in an ambulance. Amazingly, she was still wearing a smile!  

I’d like to say that the doctors worked a miracle, and the story ends there, but no. It’s been a long, ongoing uphill battle of pain, lack of independence, doctors, and more doctors. Jared continues to be her tireless knight in shining armor. All of us, family and friends, are doing our best to provide support. The outlook to recovery is a full year. So here we are weeks later making the announcement we would rather not make.  

Nicohl has decided to leave the band to focus on her healing. Since she doesn’t have the money or resources of Dave Grohl to build a traveling throne LOL.

None of us like it. In fact, we all downright argued with her about it. Nicohl is the only one that has accepted her fate. Her mind is made up. She has the best interest of the band at heart.  With another bass player onboard, we can continue to grow, and she doesn’t have to carry the added stress of feeling like she’s holding us back.  

Even if she’s right on a business level, this is an emotional dagger to the heart. It’s just not the same without her.  I don’t have enough words to communicate our love for Nicohl and the hole this will leave for us as a band.  

Prayers, healing energy, good vibes, love, and light are all welcome sends.    

As the eternal optimist I can’t end without giving you a silver lining…  

Nicohl plans to be at every show from now to the end of the world.  She is still deeply involved in the day-to-day life of the band. Ooooh, and the Ashers can now legally park in disabled parking! LOL, well, give me a break, I’m trying here.