In Memory of Zach
Last Wedenesday, Amanda and I got the phone call that everyone dreads. The details were vague and sketchy, but in a shaky and uncertain voice, my Mother-In-Law informed us that my Brother-In-Law Zach had been in an accident and she needed to go with the police to identify his body.
Zach and two of his friends, Chance and Andy were speeding down a back road in Loganville when Zach lost control of the car and struck a tree. All three boys were killed instantly. The car was destroyed to the point that they were unable to determine the make and model of the car.
Friends and family converged on Loganville from all around the country over the next few days while the family fielded a non-stop stream of phone calls and visitors. The outpouring of support and love for our entire family is something I still cannot begin to describe.
All three of my kids loved Zach dearly and saw him almost daily. Breaking the news to them and helping them through the last 5 days has been really tough. Each accepted it in their own way, but the most heart-breaking was my youngest daughter Gabi who kept saying “It's ok. We won't forget Uncle Zach because we have pictures of him.“ She tried so hard to console everyone and try to make them feel better. It was really touching...
Zach’s funeral service was held on Saturday to a crowd of family and friends so large that some people could not even get in to the chapel and had to listen from the hallways outside. While Garth Brooks’ “The Dance” played, the overwhelming sound of sniffling and sobbing said more than anyone’s words possibly could have. After some touching words from his friends, I took the opportunity to speak about my first memories of Zach, walking hand-in-hand with him through Opryland when he was just a little kid. I spoke about how it was clear to me that while he had been robbed of so many things life has to offer it was clear to me that the one thing there was no shortage of in his life was the love of an enormous number of friends and family. I thanked everyone on behalf of the family for filling his short life with so much love.
Rest In Peace Zach, Andy and Chance