He has a 4.5 grade point average at Laney High School. He is 15 years old, loves to read and has awards for academic excellence. All this, despite his diagnosis of leukemia when he was 7 years old. Zach continues to battle the illness as he faces 14 more months of treatments at Chapel Hill and daily oral chemotherapy. The leukemia had been in remission for 1 ½ years and came back recently. Zach’s spirit of resiliency is apparent in his conversation and in his gracious attitude. There are times when he must miss several days of school, yet achieves great successes.

Zach has an older brother who attends Cape Fear Community College and a younger sister who attends Trask Middle School. His father is in the construction business and refinishes furniture, while his mother works at Shoe Shack. The family is close knit and lives in a three bedroom house. Zach’s bedroom was  a space carved out near the living room and dining room. It is a small space, just big enough to fit a twin-sized bed, some books, a pet tarantula, and a pet snake.

Welcome Home Angel worked with the family and the design team of Tina Williamson of T. Williamson Interiors and Mark Loudermilk, architect, to fulfill the dreams of a voracious reader with yards of bookshelves and a desk for his computer.  The room was expanded by knocking out a wall and using space that was the dining room.  James Gallimore of Sexton Construction Co. handled the remodeling.  It is an honor to work with such an incredibly remarkable child and family.

Take a look a the video WWAY television ran as Zack saw his room for the first time.  The look on his face says it all.