I remember the first time I met Zac at summer football workouts during freshman year of high school - Zac didn't know me and we hadn't really spoken at all, but he still took it upon himself to invite me and some other guys over to his house to hang out. I'm sure there are a hundred other people with a similar story where outgoing Zac just jumped into their life. Zac was one of those kids who was seemingly friends with everyone. His devotion and selflessness with his friends is one of the things I remember most about him. His decisions were always about what other people wanted to do, not necessarily his own wants/needs. Zac was the guy who would suggest going to see a movie that you really wanted to see, even though he'd already seen it 3 times. He once drove 2 hours in the middle of the night to come hangout with me, just because I was having a bad day. He would ALWAYS give me some of his meal, because he knew I was still hungry. He taught me how to wake board, and when he realized how much I loved doing it, he insisted upon getting up at 6am to go out on the lake because it was the best water for wake boarding. Those of us who knew Zac understand the magnitude of this sacrifice - waking him up before noon was like waking the dead! But that's who Zac was - he was everyone's friend and would always put you first.
I think everyone lost a little piece of themselves when we lost Zac. Nothing really feels complete without him there making you smile or sharing in your experiences. I see Zac all the time in random things during my daily life, and it makes me miss him even more. I'm not an overly religious person, but I do believe Zac is still watching over all of us as we move through our own lives. Something that good doesn't just go away.
To Zac: I love you so much. I would give everything I have to have one more conversation with you and make sure you know that. You've forever shaped the lives of so many people for the better, and you will never be forgotten. Thank you for everything you have done for me. It's not fair that you aren't still here with us.