Bring Zac home & help his family with expenses

Hello, it is with a broken heart that we have set this gofundme up in order to help Zac's family with expenses related to bringing him home.

His family will have to travel cross country in order to deal with his estate, and transport both him, and his personal effects back with them.

Some of you may be aware that Zac's parents have medical conditions that will make this trip even more difficult.

The outpouring of love and support from the many lives that Zac has touched has been overwhelmingly beautiful, and we are very grateful.

For those of you that knew Zac, you probably were struck by his genuine caring soul, and his dedication to his art. He would undoubtedly have been embarrassed by the sheer number of people that loved and admired him.

We are hoping to ease some of the burden his family is facing now.

The funds will be used to facilitate his family's travel and hopefully help with the funeral costs back home.

Any donations are greatly appreciated, and ,please know our hearts are with all of you & the family during this unimaginable time.

Thank you

I'd like to thank Matt from Spadeball Ink for being so helpful and thoughtful by writing this for us and setting it up, amongst many other things in the last couple of days. I cant look at pictures of Zach without losing it, and ive lost it so much that its a wonder that i have any more tears left to shed..Even writing this seems unbearable for me because i cannot believe that this is real.

I appreciate and love every single person that has reached out to me with prayers and support. Im also not trying to ignore anyone, i just cannot physically read or answer messages right now. I'm sure many of you are reaching out offering help in any way you can and if you would like to do so, please contact aaron williams or matt perez as they are the only two that i have communicated with and they both know what help my family might need right now.

Zach was more than a brother to me. When we were kids, we used to beat the crap out of each other.daily...we both were pretty equal in that department,.until one day i couldn't win anymore. He became stronger and chose to instead, be my protector. When he was in eighth grade,he beat up four guys because they called me names and stole my lifesavers..four guys armed with a 2x4. He beat them all up, broke one of their noses, and in typical Zach style, never even told me that he did it. This was my brother. If anyone said anything about me ,he would shut that shit down quick. Im not sure why he thought so highly of me, but hes always had my back ..without question or hesitation.

Even though we lived hundreds of miles away from each other,we shared an unspeakable bond. In many ways, we were like twins. Countless similarities, interests,opinions, work ethic, generosity, even the food we ate. He was just the rougher version of me..the braver one, the one who carved out his own path in life and never looked back. We even shared the same demons, we just delt with them differently.

When he came to visit , so many of his friends would blow up his phone wanting to see him. He loved you all, but he always chose to stay with me, his boring sister. I never understood why until recently. I always loved him more than he probably even realized, but we werent the type to gush all over each other. He had a hard time expressing his love with words, but you knew, based off of his actions.

He came down two years ago and ended up leaving earlier than his flight back home would allow and instead rented a car. He was anxious to get back to Montana as he missed his pups. We loaded up his rental car with his toys (of course he bought toys while he was here) and I just bawled my eyes out. I was so sad that he was leaving. I wasnt able to just jump in my car and head up to chicago to see him anymore, Montana was so far. I didnt know when id see him next. The truth is that even when i visited him in chicago, I'd always cry on the way home. I dont think he ever knew that. But that day, the most recent trip, he saw me cry my eyes out. I told him how much i loved him, how he "completed" me when he was by my side and how hes the only person i felt that i could be around and just be "me." because he accepted every flaw and imperfection i had and embraced it and still loved me. He wanted to cancel the rental and stay another day just to stop my tears..for just another day. I knew how he loved his pups and told him to go, that I'd be okay. He fought me on it but i insisted, because i didnt want to see my brother sad about not seeing his pups. I didnt know that that would be the last time that i saw him. Had i only known.. I'd insist that he stay. What i wouldnt give to just have that extra day right now. Life is so cruel.

I'd priced flights to montana earlier this year to go see him. I couldnt afford it, didnt have the time off work to go if i drove,as that's an entire day of driving just to get there with no stops made. And now i am forced to go up there , only its going to be the worst trip ive ever had to make. He wont be there for me to see and enjoy his company. I will have to go to his home, where his life ended so abruptly and senselessly and go through 50 years of his talent, his toys, his clothes, and everything that meant something to him. I have to get his pups out of the pound and find someone willing to keep them both. They are scared and separated and have no idea where their best friend is. I have to go see him and say my final goodbyes to the best brother and friend that anyone could ever hope to have had and bring him home with me, and that drive home will be like all of the rest in regards to the tears..but these tears and sadness will be permanent.

This gaping hole in my heart will never be filled. I could never imagine a time when my brother wasn't just a phone call away, and now this has become my reality. It has become everyones reality, and I know firsthand how deep his friendships were. He surrounded himself with the best friends we all wish that we had, and kept them for life due to his loyalty..his contagious laughter..his talent,.his love..his willingness to help anyone who needed it. This tears me apart and i know it cuts so deep with so many of you. So thank you for those who have met me and treated me just like Zach would have treated me..thank you for the outpouring of love you've so eloquently expressed. Im not used to asking for help, and it pains me to even do so in the first place, but i need to get to my brother..with two grieving parents and make heartbreaking decisions and this is just not something that I've ever had to do while experiencing the worst pain I've ever felt in my entire life.

My mother can barely walk, has to take insulin daily for her diabetes, has had multiple issues with her heart and has to wear a c pap machine when she sleeps. We are trying to figure out the best way to get her there. I dont think that my mom could make the drive as her vertebrae are pinching her nerve and i just dont think she could make the 1-2 day car trip. My sister says flights are too expensive and mom might not be able to go..and i told her that i didnt think she understood exactly how many lives my brother touched or how far and wide his friendships reached. He was the just the best and he always will be. So thank you to everyone who has helped us , whether it's through words, donations or prayers for us..they all mean so much to us right now..I'd like to have a memorial for Zach when we return ..i can't say that i will be able to arrange that, given that I'm about two seconds away from commiting myself at this point and the next few weeks are only going to be harder for me. Maybe aaron /Lou/eric and Josh could help facilitate that. I don't know why he was taken from us . I never will understand any of this, but I'd give anything to have him back..i wish i could go back in time and insist on him staying that extra day. That was a regret that he had as well. That he didn't just stay that extra day. He always wanted me to live with him or close to him, i think to protect and watch over me. I might not have had that extra day with him, but I'm so thankful that i wasn't able to hide the tears that I'd hid for years when i headed home from a visit. I was able to tell him how much he meant to me and how much i loved him . I think he already knew through my actions, but I'm glad that i was able to say the words and express it to him after years of just saying i love you when i left. That last time was different. He had never seen me cry when i said it to him and on that day he did and i think it finally registered with him just how much he meant to me. How much he was loved and missed. I will forever be grateful for that last moment i had with him. I know it pained him to see me hurting over anything and i just dont understand any of this. This is by far the worst "hurt" I've ever experienced.