Zachary Allen Kirk Memorial
Donation protected
I lost my brother. Not from the head injury from the act that took his own life, but from the illness that tormented his mind. I would lose my brother occasionally over the past decade or so. I would lose my brother all over the U.S. as he tried to run from the fear that he had during spiraling Schizophrenic episodes.
We were young when my big brother first started telling me about his fear of things that he would see, that I couldn’t see. At first I thought that it was just my brother being a “chicken” or “scaredy cat”. This was, after all, coming from the guy that would later into his teens, grab my hand just before the drop on a roller coaster and say, “Stef, let’s just pray real quick”.
That’s me next to Zach in the picture, pulling my big “little” brother close to me. I always pulled him close to me, because the older I got, the more I understood that my brother wasn’t a scaredy cat. He was the bravest guy I would ever know. He lived a life filled with tormenting thoughts and voices in a world scarier than I could ever imagine – until one day, it was more than he could handle. Although our family loved Zach more than words can say, and tried to help Zach in every way possible, there just weren’t enough resources or support for us to get Zach the help that he needed.
The Zachary Allen Kirk Memorial Fund has been set up to raise money that will be given to organizations that fund research for mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and offer support for families of those suffering. Because no family should feel the pain of losing someone they would die for to this tormenting illness.
Stef Kirk
Sister of Zachary Allen Kirk
We were young when my big brother first started telling me about his fear of things that he would see, that I couldn’t see. At first I thought that it was just my brother being a “chicken” or “scaredy cat”. This was, after all, coming from the guy that would later into his teens, grab my hand just before the drop on a roller coaster and say, “Stef, let’s just pray real quick”.
That’s me next to Zach in the picture, pulling my big “little” brother close to me. I always pulled him close to me, because the older I got, the more I understood that my brother wasn’t a scaredy cat. He was the bravest guy I would ever know. He lived a life filled with tormenting thoughts and voices in a world scarier than I could ever imagine – until one day, it was more than he could handle. Although our family loved Zach more than words can say, and tried to help Zach in every way possible, there just weren’t enough resources or support for us to get Zach the help that he needed.
The Zachary Allen Kirk Memorial Fund has been set up to raise money that will be given to organizations that fund research for mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and offer support for families of those suffering. Because no family should feel the pain of losing someone they would die for to this tormenting illness.
Stef Kirk
Sister of Zachary Allen Kirk
Organizer
Alie Webb
Organizer
Berrien Springs, MI
