Some people live an entire lifetime without finding their driving passion, but this was not the case for Collin Reynolds, member of local Burlington band, As We Were. He found his calling in drumming at a young age and pursued it until his death from cystic fibrosis this past year.

On Oct. 25, there will be a benefit concert held at Higher Ground for research on cystic fibrosis in his honor.

CBRASNKE, a new band comprised mostly of members of As We Were, will be playing at this benefit concert. In an interview with Ryan Krushenick – guitarist and friend of Reynolds’ – he explained the motivations behind their most recent album.

“We were musically struggling to stay afloat while watching our friend die,” he said.

Krushenick spoke mostly of his admiration for Reynolds, in regard to his dedication to music and his amicability.

“He had to play with breathing tubes in his nose but drummed like a maniac, it was beautiful,” Krushenick said.

As We Were is currently taking a hiatus from the music scene, but the new collaboration, CBRASNKE, is making music. Their last album was mostly influenced by Reynolds’ death.

Though the upcoming concert will commemorate Reynolds, all of the proceeds will go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for research on the treatment of the disease.

“For him, to do anything it was like a glorious task,” Krushenick said on Reynolds’ struggle with the illness.

“We hear all the time that we take our bodies and our health for granted but we breathe thousands of times a day and we don’t even notice it, and for [Reynolds] every single breath was a literal struggle,” Krushenick said.