Age: 18
Hometown: Salem, OR
Diagnosis: Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT)
Shoe: Air Jordan 17
In the summer of 2024, Zach was enjoying a birthday party at his friend’s house when he jumped into the pool. He didn’t know it at the time, but he had an extremely rare heart condition that causes dangerous arrhythmias when triggered by stress or adrenaline. In Zach’s case, the shock of hitting the cold water completely stopped his heart.
Bystanders and emergency responders sprang into action, performing CPR so Zach could be stabilized enough to survive an emergency surgery in Salem and life-flight to Doernbecher, where he then received highly specialized, Level-1 trauma care and additional surgery. He spent over 25 days in the PICU, where he was placed on a ventilator and ECMO machine to give his lungs and heart the time they needed to heal. Beating all the odds, Zach made an astonishing full recovery and was able to go home after 38 total days in the hospital.
“I’m really grateful to everyone who worked so hard to save my life,” Zach said. “If you don’t know CPR, you should learn how!”
These days, Zach is a happy, active guy who enjoys lifting weights, playing his guitar and fixing things – especially bikes and cars. He hopes to be a mechanic someday and can already replace filters and bulbs, fill the oil or fix a flat tire.
“YouTube is a great teacher,” he grinned.
Zach poured his love for all things mechanical into his Air Jordan 17, which features hex-shaped hardware on the eyelets and chrome elements inspired by Michael Jordan’s motorcycle. The collar features the same soft suede as a luxury steering wheel, and if you pop open the lace cover, you’ll find interchangeable silver charms.
Because Zach is adopted from Vietnam, he also wanted to honor his culture by including a turtle graphic on the sockliner. In Vietnamese culture, the turtle is a symbol of protection and endurance; Zach hopes his shoe will bring you plenty of both.
“A hero is someone who refuses to give up on you.”
