Luke Bryan on Being Positive: ‘It’s Important for Me to Inspire People’

Luke Bryan has dealt with more loss in his forty years than many witness in a lifetime, but even in the midst of tragedy, he hopes he inspires those going through similar struggles.

As a teen, Bryan lost his older brother Chris in a car accident, and while it put his plans of moving to Nashville, Tenn. on hold, he says it gave him new perspective. "It makes you appreciate chasing dreams. You're like, 'Hey, you get one go-around at this thing called life and it's very fragile so you better go after your dreams,'" he tells Today in a piece that looks at his career.

Eleven year later, Bryan lost his sister, Kelly, and in 2014 ,her husband also died. These deaths left three children without a mom or dad, and as a result, Bryan and his wife, Caroline, added his two nieces and nephew to their existing family of four, which includes the star's two sons.

"It's an amazingly emotional, tough moment watching these children navigating life without parents," Bryan says of nephew Tilden and nieces Kris and Jordan. "We just want to be positive for them."

Having recently celebrated his 40th birthday, Bryan is lukewarm about the fourth decade of his life, but says he hopes to continue to inspire people along his journey.

"Caroline says growing old is a privilege and it is. I love the wisdom of 40. I'm not sure I love the sore knees at the end of a show, certainly a stadium show," he jokes. "With all the stuff that's certainly happened to me and my family I think it's important for me to inspire people who have had some bumps in the road but you can still try to walk through your daily life pretty optimistic and having a blast with it."

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