In the music video , directed by Isaac Rentz , a middle-aged jogger relives vivid memories of his life through a surreal , nostalgic journey . At the end of the video , the man sees his deceased friends and family members , including his wife . The video then shows that the man was dreaming the entire time , and died in his sleep . As his wife cries by his side , the video fades with a blurred view of the man standing next to the shore at a beach . Singer Matthew Shultz is occasionally seen singing in a tent in the man 's childhood hideout , while the rest of the band plays through various cut scenes . The music video achieved critical acclaim , and garnered a nomination for Best Rock Video at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards
2011 MTV Video Music Awards
2011 MTV Video Music Awards
Shake Me Down