Donnie had a good friend (Stephanie) who passed away in part due to something he had done wrong. He was partying with guitarist Derek Frigo (and his super-annoying girlfriend who wanted the song to be called "Fly High Gabriel" but that didn't roll off the tongue) and the song came to him on a Sunday morning walking back from 7-11. He wrote it and recorded it that day. The version you hear on the record is very close to the original. Donnie estimates that he has probably performed this song over 15,000 times in his career so far.