Lauren Alaina’s Tearful Tribute To Her Late Father At ACMs: “You Are Not Alone”
on May 18, 2026 • Updated May 18, 2026
Lauren Alaina Appeared At ACM Awards To Introduce Dan + Shay
Lauren Alaina turned heads at the 61st Annual ACM Awards in her gorgeous sequined red dress that landed her on our Best Dressed List.
While she didn’t perform or win any awards, she did have quite possibly the most impactful moment of the night. She was present to introduce Dan + Shay, who performed their emotional song “Say So,” which they wrote after suffering a heartbreaking loss when their close friend and mentor Ben Vaughn died by suicide in January 2025.
Alaina was also close to Vaughn, which made her introducing the song make so much sense.
Additionally, Lauren has been affected personally by mental health struggles and has also lost someone close to her because of it.
She said, “Sometimes, lifting lives can mean saving lives. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and an important time to say if you are secretly suffering, you are not alone. Like too many of you out there, I know what it’s like to lose someone who struggled with their mental health, so to anybody out there tonight suffering, please know there is always someone to listen and someone to help. Just please, please reach out.”
Tears began streaming down Alaina’s face, which made the entire audience in person and at home get emotional with her. The singer then introduced the ACM Lifting Lives performance.
She continued, “Two friends of mine, Dan + Shay, whose powerful new song ‘Say So’ was inspired by a heartbreaking loss in our country music family. When I first heard it, [I knew] this song is going to save lives.”
Some of the powerful lyrics include:
“If your light burns out and you’re in the dark
If you can’t pick up the pieces
If the world you trusted falls apart
If your heart’s run out of reasons
I’ll be there every time you call
Pick you up every time you fall
If you’rе going through hell, you’re not alone
If you need somеbody, say so.”
Lauren Alaina’s Father Struggled With His Mental Health
Lauren Alaina’s father passed away on July 23, 2024. She shared the news on social media, writing, “We lost my daddy last night, and I really don’t have words yet.”
Over a year later, on October 6, 2025, Lauren posted a tearful video on what would have been his 13th year of sobriety if he hadn’t relapsed before his passing.
RELATED: Lauren Alaina Releases Poignant Song For Her Late Father, “Little Things”
She said, “This is a really hard video for me to make, but I’m gonna do it to honor my dad,” she said to the camera crying. “Today would’ve been his 13th year of sobriety if he had made it. He passed away a little over a year ago. But he didn’t make it to his 12th year either, and I’m not even sure about his 11th. He relapsed, and it’s a major contributing factor to why he’s no longer here with us.”
Thank you, Lauren, for sharing your vulnerability with the world. If her story saves just one person, then it was all worth it. Watch her tearful speech below.
If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text “HOME” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or visit their website.
