It is with profound sorrow that I share the news of my beloved son Zach’s passing on August 9th, 2024. As a mother, my heart aches for the world as it has lost such a vibrant, beautiful, and kind person. My thoughts are with all who had the pleasure of knowing and loving Zach during this difficult time. 

He had a deep love for drama and a remarkable ability to bring the characters he played to life with unmatched passion and grace. His dedication to the arts and unique way of interpreting the timeless works of Shakespeare will be fondly remembered.

Our family is heartbroken.

“Good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!” — *Hamlet*, Act 5, Scene 2

The funeral will be held at Pointe West Cremation & Funeral Service

15305 – 112 Avenue NW

Edmonton Alberta

Thursday, August 15th, 2024

Viewing from 1:00-2:00 p.m.  open casket

Funeral from 2:00-3:00 p.m.

Coffee from 3:00-4:30 p.m.

Zachary was born the 2nd child of 3 boys, and was the only blonde, blue eyed one who took after his grandmother. Born in Hinton, Alberta on March 25, 1990 at 7:43 am, he was a happy, cuddly momma’s boy.

In 1997, we moved to Grand Prairie where he started his hockey playing days.  In 1999, we moved to Edmonton, where he joined the Minor Hockey Hawks “Thunder Hawks” hockey team, as their “only goalie”. Zach played with them for a few years, but the highlight was when he made an unbelievable “toe save” to help his team soar to win the 2000 Minor Hockey Week.  The parents and coaches were amazed and it was a great celebration! Hockey is where he met his future stepfather, Coach Dennis Aitchison.  Zach also gained two stepbrothers, Colin and Dale.  Dale was on his hockey team, so they were together a lot. Zachary and his brothers often joined his new stepfamily to go dirt biking.  He was the largest child, so had the largest bike, which we all called the “comfy couch”.

Zach’s first job was at Pizza Hut, where he made and cut hundreds of pizzas.  He also tried a line cook job, but almost cut his finger off.  Zach then became a Manager on Duty at the YMCA, where he got to play basketball with a lot of people who would come in.  This is where he started to enjoy working out. Zach attended middle school and high school in Edmonton; Archbishop O’Leary is where all the family graduated.  About this time is when Zachary decided to learn how to solve a Rubix cube and he could do it in under a minute EVERY TIME.  We would try to mix it up good, but he always solved it. Zach also had a few injuries in his youth!  Most from skateboarding with his brother Justin!  A ton of rolled ankles, going too fast and shin injuries from all the flipping tricks. Zach was also musical, his instrument of choice was his Red Bass Guitar.  He would strum it for hours and play with his brothers who also played different guitars.  My fondest memories is listening to them play in the basement, laughing and joking around.  Everyone should enjoy those times of laughter and pure joy.

At the age of 18, Zach had the acting bug and he decided he would go to Vancouver to attend VFS (Vancouver Film School).   He loved everything about acting, the movement, the voice work and stage work.  He spent almost 2 years in Vancouver and loved it so much, he always wanted to go back.  Zach loved being by the water and hiking.

In Vancouver, Zach, the starving artist tried to support himself by taking odd jobs, such as Bartender, table clearer and dishwasher at a local pub.  After a year or two he decided to follow his girlfriend to Toronto and see what it was like there.  He got a job as a security officer and stayed in Ontario for about 8months, before returning home (he didn’t like it there, too crowded). After trying to move back to Vancouver, Zach decided it was too expensive and came back to Edmonton.  The family was excited that they would be able to hang out together again!

Zach attended Concordia College in 2016 – 2020.  This is where he continued his love of Shakespeare and drama.  Zach graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a Major in Drama.  In order to support himself while going to school, Zach got a job with Alberta Health Services, as a porter in the DI department at the Royal Alexander Hospital. This is where Zach’s career grew from a Service Worker to a Porter to a Covid Screener and finally to the Admin III Role on the Switchboard.  Zach was noticed by his supervisor Brandy when he was a screener, she liked his calm attitude and ability to talk to people, so she told him to apply on the spot!

Zach was extremely smart, he had a thirst for knowledge, and he loved reading books that most of us can’t get past the first few pages.  He was meticulous, clean, articulate, and very sensitive. Zach was driven and once he had set his mind on something he would finish it!  He decided to compete in a body building competition and for almost a year, he trained and trained, and trained, and trained, and ate nothing but eggs, chicken, rice, spinach and protein powder.  How he could show such dedication was absolutely amazing! Zach placed 5th in his very first competition, which was unheard of.  Most first timers were way in 12th or later position.

While in college, Zach got to showcase his acting talent.  He acted in the DADA Play, he coached fellow actors in the Play ALMOST MAINE, and he was MacBeth, in Shakespeares MacBeth!  He was brilliant!  Not only did he deliver his lines perfectly, grapple in fight scenes with believable pain, but he UNDERSTOOD the words!  He knew everyone’s lines and if someone faltered, he would mumble under his breath like a ventriloquist, so they would remember.

Zach was also an animal lover; he would be known to cry when he heard of how dogs were mistreated by their owners.  He would go out for days with his friend searching for lost dogs.  He had cats in his past, but he was allergic, so had to love them from a distance. Zachary also loved being outdoors and hiking in the river valley daily.  He also came out to our acreage on occasion just to cut wood!  He even bought his own axe, as ours wasn’t tough enough for his powerful swings.

Zach often played video games, his favorite was World of Warcraft and he was an expert (of course!).  He would play online with his brothers and for hours by himself. Zach loved to workout with his brother Alex.  They would go to the Gym and Zach would poke Alex in a muscle and say “focus on the muscle!”  and give him tons of advice. He did this and so much more, he was really intent on making sure we knew that working out meant you had to work, and make sure it was hard instead of making it easier.

Zach was an old soul, a gentle giant, he was very sweet and very loving.  As soon as he had a step niece, he decided to pick her up, sit in front of the television and make her watch Moana!  He said to her, I am going to introduce you to the world of Disney!  He was adorable. Zach once went to Las Vegas with me for his grandparents’ anniversary.  He loved to play poker in the casino and it was there where he had his famous “Deal or No Deal” session with his grandpa George.

In the last few months of his life, Zachary found the love of his life, the one person he felt a strong connection to and I am happy that he had that.  But like a Shakespear tragedy, the timing was off and they only had a very happy, but short time together.  I truly believe in my heart, that this love was meant to be and that they will find their way back to each other in the next life.

Zachary always struggled with Mental Health.  He would always put on a brave face and act “normal and happy” for us so we didn’t worry.  In the last few years, this disease took hold stronger and stronger.  Zach fought it with all his might, pills, treatments, counselling, more pills and more treatment.  He wanted to be better, but he eventually succumbed to this extremely horrible disease.

Zach didn’t want to be a burden, but today, we are going to show him how much he meant to each of us and how big the hole he left is.  

I urge everyone reading this, to talk to your loved ones, dig deep, even when they say they are “fine”.  Keep current, keep supporting, keep talking and keep loving them.

We will never forget Zachary.  We will always carry him with us in our hearts and our minds.  We will take him everywhere we go.  We will talk to him and about him and he will be loved just as much as when he was here.

Zachary’s family hopes you will remember him fondly, with love and laughter.  He loved everyone and would wish you all happiness.