Zach lives on in our hearts and memories. Get to know Zach the way his friends and family did.
From: Kris Maday
If anybody could "train" at video games, Zach and I did in the summer of 1989 (I think?). There was a local video game shop that was hosting a Kings of the Beach tournament and Zach and I wanted to win it. For those of you how dont know, Kings of the beach was a beach volleyball game on the original Nintendo system. So we had to of "trained" for like 3-4 hours a day over that summer. Some days at my house, some days at his. I think there was one marathon session of like 15 hours when we stayed up all night drinking Jolt cola (for those of you who don't know what that is, it is evil evil stuff) and something that we like to call HYPERSHAKES!! (basically it was a milkshake with as much sugar, chocolate sauce, and sometimes marshmallow Fluff (again, evil evil stuff....) we could put in the blender. Anyway, after we crashed from our sugar binge, we would pick up those controllers and practice some more. Needless to say we were ready for action on tourney day, ready to kick some butt and take some names........and we got bounced in the first round by some 15 year olds. We called them dorks because we thought they had better things to do than beat 9 year olds at video games. But we both knew.....at the end of the day.......after all of our "hard work".....we were the Kings of the Beach."
From: Taylor Good
Not much of a story, but just a little looksy on the type of big brother Zach is. Well, everytime Zach would come home for the weekend, I would ask him to take me to Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts every morning. Those seemed to be our favorite places. Everytime I asked him, I would get the "your a pain in the ass little sister" shpeel. Then he would have the whole family joining in about how needy and high maintance I am. Well, there's no denying that, so I would just give up and walk away. About 15 minutes later, he would walk up to my room and go, "Want your favorite white chocolate mocha this time, T-Bird?!" As hard as he tried, he could never completely get the whole "mean big brother act" down. Well the next time he gets in the car, you know where were going. Starbucks! Zach is truly the big brother every girl wishes for and I love him more than words could explain."
From: Amy Pypiak
Ah, the purple low rider...who could forget it? I grew up with Zach and Anna on the lovely Teal Lane. Anna was one of my first friends in Maryland. I hung out with Ash during my middle school/early high school years and practically lived down at their house. As a matter of fact I think they had to force me to walk in and stop ringing the door bell because of the damn barking dogs. Needless to say Kim was like my 2nd mother. As for me and Zach we got closer during the college years as we both went to Towson. I hung out a lot with him and Justin my freshman (Zach's junior) year. I think my favorite memories are Friday nights in Fells Point at 723 for quarter bottles! QUARTER BOTTLES?? We would pile into one of the boys cars and double fist those quarter bottles till 11pm or if we were lucky 1130. It always sucked for the sober driver and I think more times than none Zach was always the one to man up and do it. Thanks Zach! I believe the best memories are still to come. Zach, please wake up soon!! We all miss you like crazy! Happy 4th of July everyone!"
From: Alison Gers (Shepherd)
When Anna and I lived together in NYC for the summer, this "Zach guy" started calling her again. He realized the error of his ways and wanted Anna back in his life. I was quite skeptical, as Anna and I are really close, and who would be crazy enough to let her go in the first place. I wasn't sure about this "Zach guy". Soon Anna graduated early from college, left me, and went to live with "Zach" in Maryland. After college, Anna and I visited together and I got to know Zach... I started to realize that he was okay :). Not only did he make Anna laugh, get along well with me and Brett (my husband), but he even some how got Anna to be clean! Wow, was he pretty great! During Memorial Day weekend 2005, upon a visit to me and Brett in Chicago, Zach pulled me aside while Anna was in the shower and said, "Ali, I want to take Anna for a walk on the lake." "Okay," I said, nonchalantly. "I want to go alone with her," Zach said. I repeated, "Okay" ... thinking of course you can go for a romantic walk with her without me! It was then I noticed that Zach was holding a little ring box in his hand. Oh my g-d... I started to freak out! Zach was going to PROPOSE to Anna! I gave him a big hug (and of course asked if I could see the ring... which was beautiful!). Zach promised to take care of Anna and I could see in his expression how excited he was and how much he loved her. Living so far away from Baltimore, yet being so close with Zach and Anna, I was so excited and thankful to be able to share in such an important day for the two of them. That day is the day when Zach finally stole my heart too. Since then, I've seen what Anna always has seen in him. Zach is a caring, intelligent, talented, and amazing person who would do anything for his friends and family... and that is why I know he will pull through soon... for all of us who are sending him positive thoughts every day."
From: Chastain Smith
Let me see how well my memory works...I dated Zach back in the purple low-rider days. I think we were in 10th grade and he was one of the few people I knew that drove. We had planned this skiing trip to Ski Liberty with some friends and I think his family came as well. This was my first and only time ever skiing. I'm not a big fan of the snow and he knew that but I thought what the heck, I'll give it a try. His friends Sean Davis and Chris Mariani (sp?) came with us and they were all making bets on when I would fall. (What nice friends they were) They all said I would fall trying to get off the lift...well I showed them all wrong. I didn't fall. I even made it down the bunny slope without falling. So being the brave person I am, we went to the next slope. Needless to say, I didn't have that kind of luck on that one. I think I fell half way down the slope. After all that, I think I was done with skiing. I've never been back. I like the ice much better. Hope you get well soon, Zach. We're all thinking of you."
From: Ann Whalen
My name is Ann Whalen and Zach and my son Brian Huff were best friends in high school and roommates their first year of college. One of the funnies things I can remember about Zach was that one Saturday I had some items to take to the local landfill and I needed the boys to go with me to unload them. Zach and Brian drove separately in Zach's spotlessly clean, purple, low rider, truck, which he parked outside of the landfill, and they rode in with me." Well, needless to say the smell of the landfill was much less than pleasant and Brian, Zach, and Tim (my youngest son) were none too happy. Then...when they actually had to get out of the vehicle to unload, the ground was nothing but mud. They were all repulsed, however Zach was completely disgusted. His snow white sneakers were covered with "landfill mud" and the smell was horrendous. He kept saying, "This smells like complete ASS"! and I could do nothing but laugh at him. When it came time for him to get back into his immaculate truck he was furious because he did not want those "ASS" smelling shoes in there. Of course the shoes were taken off and put in the back of the truck and they were probably discarded. I am not really sure! So when you said he is the coolest OCD guy you know that doesn't surprise me one bit."