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Zach Marion

Zachary Stuart Marion
February 18, 1993 - December 16, 2004

Zach was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) on May 12, 2004 at the age of eleven. This is a very aggressive form of leukemia. Zach went through 4 rounds of chemotherapy and several surgeries for secondary types of infections which unfortunately are a common result of the treatment for the cancer and can be just as deadly. Zach never failed to amaze us with his bravery and courage during everything he went through. He maintained love of life and his sense of humor through the very end and was such an inspiration to us and to so many.

Zach’s spirit never gave up although his body simply wore out and Zach joined our Heavenly Father on December 16, 2004.

I would be lying if I said I have come to terms with Zach’s death. There is a song by MercyMe called “Homesick” which expresses so well the way I feel. I don’t know God’s greater plan but even if I did, the hurt would be the same, because Zach is so far away from us right now. I know he is in our hearts but not being able to put my arms around him still causes me to cry.

We had such tremendous support from family, friends, church, work, school, and scouts and the wonderful staff at Children’s Mercy Hospital, both during Zach’s illness and after his death. I was overwhelmed by the number of people that attended Zach’s visitation and funeral and realized how greatly his life and death affected all those around us.

We are determined to do whatever we can to help find a cure for cancer. Every person deserves a fighting chance against this terrible disease and although many advances have been made over the years there is still a long way to go to find a cure for all types of cancer.

I have decided to use Zach’s website again to promote various events that Bill and I are participating in as well as to tell the story of others that are currently in the battle in hopes that people will be inspired to get involved in some way. I have been devastated by Zach’s loss and I am hoping that the more Bill and I get involved that we will gain a new sense of purpose that will help us heal.

Journal

Sunday, May 6, 2007 9:23 AM CDT

It is so strange to be updating Zach’s website since it was January of last year that I last updated, but I would be remiss if I didn’t say something about Mike Haugen, who so willingly and graciously accepted a request to carry some of Zach’s ashes with him as he attempts his first climb up Mount Everest.

Some of you may remember Zach’s reference to Mount Everest after his third round of chemo when we found out his leukemia had come back. Although the news was devastating, we didn’t lose our hope or determination that Zach would beat the leukemia. I referred to it as another bump in the road and Zach more accurately described it as more like Mt. Everest! He was right.

At some point after Zach’s death I thought that it would be fitting if some of Zach’s ashes could be scattered on Mt. Everest. I had mentioned it to Dee Jo Miller (Hannah’s mom) who grabbed the ball and ran with it. She talked to Maria, her contact at Dream Factory who worked at making it happen. Maria tried in 2006 but the short window for climbing Mt. Everest was to near. She didn’t forget though and continued to make contacts. She ended up contacting Mike Haugen who said yes. It seemed fitting since Mike is a Jr. High Science teacher and Zach would be just the age of the kids he currently teaches. I know Mike is just the kind of teacher that Zach would have been drawn too. Mike talks a lot about the choices we make and I always felt like Zach made good choices in the friends he chose and in the direction he was headed. Mike is being sponsored by Coleman (camping / outdoor equipment) so again, it seemed fitting since Zach’s favorite teacher was Mr. Coleman, who helped him blossom during his 4th grade year. It all just seemed right.

I know climbing Mt. Everest is a dream come true for Mike and his best friend Casey. Mike & Casey left the states on March 17 and are now getting close to the top of Mt. Everest. You can track their journey, read Mike’s daily blog, and send him messages on the Coleman Everest website (see link below). Mike has done a great job of documenting their climb with both his blog and pictures.

Climbing Mt. Everest even today is a huge and daunting challenge and every year climbers still die attempting to reach the summit. The treacherous climb, the lack of oxygen, the extreme temperatures along with the sudden weather changes all add up to huge challenges. That anyone ever gets to the top is amazing. But it is really the attempt that matters and not the end result. I had told Mike about a book Zach and I were reading while Zach was in the hospital. In it a little boy named Milo is sent on a quest. There is one thing about the quest that the King can not tell Milo until he returns. Milo returns have successfully completing the quest. The King then tells Milo what he couldn’t tell him at the beginning of the quest – That the quest was impossible, completely impossible – but if he had told him that he might not have gone, and as he discovered, so many things are possible just as long as you don’t know they’re impossible. The King tells Milo that what counts was that he had the courage to try, and what you can do is often simply a matter of what you will do. I remember crying when I read this to Zach because I felt like Zach’s quest was impossible and I couldn’t wait until he was better to remind him that he had done the impossible. Zach had so much courage and never gave up on his quest.

I want to mention a couple of things –
Knox Golf Tournament – Our church has organized the 1st Annual Knox Golf Tournament in memory of Zach to be held on Saturday, May 19, 2007 with all the proceeds going to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The tournament's shotgun start will be 1:30pm at Prairie Highlands in Olathe. Dinner and awards will follow. The cost is $90.00 per person; $350.00 for a four person team. Signups began April 1. If you would like to play in the tournament or sponsor a hole for $100.00 or would like to volunteer to help, call Craig Campbell at 913-709-9716. (see link to Knox Presbyterian Church below)

ZachZoo Poker Run – Bill organized the 2nd Annual ZachZoo Poker Run last September and is beginning to work on the 3rd Annual ZachZoo Poker Run for this September. All the proceeds are split between CureSearch (National Childhood Cancer Foundation) and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I’ll post the dates and more information when it is available.

A brief synopsis of our 2006 / 2007 year – Nathan just turned 16 earlier this year and is currently a sophomore Believe it or not he doesn’t even have his driving learner’s permit yet let alone his driver’s license. A lot has to do with his grades but I think deep down I am so afraid of him driving that I am looking for excuses. He was confirmed at Knox Church last year and is active in our Church youth group. I know he is blessed with many friends and adults at our church who look after him. He is a great kid but this teenager stuff is hard on the parents!

Bill managed to run 6 marathons in ’06 (his first being the Disney marathon in Jan ’06) and already has one under his belt for ’07. He stays busy working around the house – he started refinishing our basement then got interrupted to replace our front steps last summer (in the 100 degree July heat we had last year), then went onto to redo Nathan’s bathroom which of course turned out to be a bigger project than we expected. Problem is Bill never does things in a small way. Not sure what the plans are for this summer?!

I, on the other hand, ran my one and only marathon in Jan 06. I’d like to do another Team in Training event but not sure what or when (they have some long distance bike rides that I think I might enjoy more than the long distance running!) I am still at Terracon although I just barely struggled through work last year. Not sure what I would do if I wasn’t working at Terracon since I have been there so long. Dee Jo Miller organized a Mom’s weekend earlier this year for some of the many Mom’s she has met at Children’s Mercy. We all have in common that we have/had children battling cancer – some of the kids are done with treatment and are cancer free, some are still fighting the good fight, and some have found their way to heaven. The Mom’s are a wonderful group of ladies that still manage to find something good in what has happened in their lives and still find laughter in the midst of everything. My tendency is to look inward when I should look outward. I’m still trying to find peace with Zach’s death. It is not a matter of acceptance, but a matter of being at peace with it in order to move forward.

Thank you Mike for taking Zach with you on your adventure of a lifetime!


John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

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Links:

http://www.colemaneverest.com/coleman/everest/trackmike.htm   Follow Mike's Mt. Everest Climb-send him a message
http://www.caringbridge.org/ks/hannahmiller/   Hannah Miller's Caringbridge Website
http://legacy.knoxchurch.org/home/default.asp   Knox Presbyterian Church


 
 

E-mail Author: sjmarion@terracon.com

 
 

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