The Miracle Man
Pictured above: Zach surrounded by family and friends, July 2024
On August 26, 2022, Zach was driving along Beach Boulevard on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, a beautiful stretch of highway that hugs the coastline. What started as a peaceful evening took a devastating turn when Zach got into a car accident. While he waited for help, a drunk driver crashed into his car, leaving him in critical condition with numerous broken bones and internal injuries.
The accident’s aftermath
There’s video footage of the wreck, but Alecia, Zach’s mom, says she’ll never watch it. “His neck was broken in two places, and he was foaming at the mouth. It took 45 minutes to get him out of the car, and we were told he would not make it.”
Rocky, Zach’s dad, adds, “When the phone rang, I could tell by Alecia’s tone that something was bad. [At the scene of the wreck], they would come and tell us every 5 or 10 minutes that he’s still alive. It was a life-changing experience for everybody.” Zach was brought to the closest hospital to the accident, and from there, it was recommended he be transferred out of state. Rocky adds, “They were going to do a helicopter evacuation, but it was raining, so they canceled. And then we end up following the ambulance in the rain. My other son’s wife is in the medical field. And she said, ‘Rocky, as long as the sirens are on, he’s alive.’”
Rocky continues, “Zach was admitted and immediately had two emergency surgeries to relieve the pressure on his internal organs and to treat his liver. He lived through it.”
“Miracle Man”
Ask anyone to describe Zach, and “determined” is usually the first word mentioned. He played multiple sports in college, with a particular passion for golf. His mom shares, “He just never sat still growing up. He loves to golf and enjoys life.”
No one could have predicted how much Zach would have to slow down following the wreck. He was in a medically induced coma for 52 days as his body went through the healing process. His dad shares, “They told me every day, ‘Rocky, we’re just trying to get another hour.’ He just wouldn’t give up.”
Rocky describes the day that Zach woke up from the coma, “When I saw his eyes open, I walked over to him and by his expression, I was pretty sure he recognized me. But I said, Zach, if you know who I am, I want you to blink your eyes. And he blinked, and that’s where we started from…a blink.”
During his time receiving treatment, physicians and providers repeatedly told Zach’s family that he was a miracle. After dying several times and being brought back to life, surviving countless surgeries, and suffering severe brain injuries, he was awake. From then on, Zach was the Miracle Man. Alecia adds, “Doctors would come back to us and say that this is the reason we do medicine.” In total, Zach spent almost a year in New Orleans.
“Learning how to do everything again.”
Once Zach and his family got back to the Coast, the goal became gaining mobility. Due to Zach’s traumatic brain injuries and medically induced coma, he developed contractures, limiting joint movement in his feet and ankles.
Alecia explains that they reached out to multiple physicians to get advice. She shares, “Fast forward, we finally get him to Doctor [Judy] Smith, who was God sent. She sat for two hours with him and looked at his chart. She said, ‘I want to nickname him the Miracle Man.’ I thought my jaw was going to hit the floor because that’s the same title the other doctors had given him.”
Dr. Smith is an orthopedic surgeon at Memorial with fellowship training in foot and ankle reconstruction. After assessing Zach and determining the best plan of care, she performed a complex surgery to release joints and tendons in his legs, allowing his ankles to flex again. Dr. Smith shares, “So there are different conditions that lead to the same problem, and these patients often go untreated. The patient can’t get their foot flat on the ground and they can’t walk. Essentially, you have to think of it as being a ballerina and pointing your feet like ballerinas do 100% of the time.” The contractures cause the ankle to become very stiff and rigid to where someone can no longer move their foot. “If you cannot put your foot flat on the ground and stand up straight, you only have the option to crawl or be in a wheelchair. Sometimes, if people can stand, they can rehabilitate and be able to walk, which was the case with Zach.”
Dr. Smith reflects “I really have to give credit to Zach. It’s been an honor to treat him. He came to me the first day – he’s very determined and very stubborn, and that works in his favor, because he said, ‘Doc, I’m going to walk again.’ He saw the future and so he had already been working at home, keeping his upper mobility strength, his range of motion in his upper arms. He kept saying that he was going to walk, and I had to temper and work with that enthusiasm to make him have realistic expectations. Not everyone who has this surgery will be like Zach and able to walk on the golf course again, but a lot of people don’t realize that there is a good surgical solution to this problem.”
This procedure involved having to release all the tight structures at the back of the ankle that were keeping him in a position where his toes were pointed down. Dr. Smith also recommended physical therapy as part of Zach’s treatment. Alecia adds, “Every time Dr. Smith and her team find out he’s at physical therapy, they’re over here.”
When asked what he’s most proud of in his recovery so far, Zach shares, “The first time I stood up in therapy, that was a very big deal to me. Since my wreck, I have to learn how to do everything again.”
Finding their village
A portion of this interview was on July 31, 2024, at The Oaks Golf Club in Pass Christian, a place that holds a special meaning to Zach and his family. At times, filming was paused because of the laughter coming from outside the room. These laughs and cheers are indicative of the support Zach has received throughout his healing journey.
Rocky reflects, “I’ve always said this, and I’ll continue to say it takes a village of people to get somebody like Zach, who was injured so badly, to get him to where he needs to be. I just told Robby (Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of NeoLife Physical Therapy and Wellness) a few minutes ago, without him, this doesn’t happen because he had the physical strength to get Zach out of a chair and get him on a table.” Rocky continues, “Chris Marro gave a golf tournament right here on Zach’s behalf and raised some money. Zach’s had friends visit him in the hospital when it was bad. He’s always had a good support team around him, even when it wasn’t always so good.”
“It used to be my home course. I used to play all the time, a couple days a week, every week,” Zach says about The Oaks. Rocky adds, “It’s our home. It’s where we come every Sunday. As long as we get to play golf, it’s all good. Russ, Vicki, Charlie, and Taylor have all just wrapped their arms around us when we needed them the most.”
When asked about his determination to succeed, Zach says simply, “Everybody loves a comeback.”
Watch part of Zach’s story in this interview.
Special thanks are extended to The Oaks for allowing us to film these interviews and capture one of Zach’s favorite places.