Zach and Tristen

Hello GoFundMe community,

I’m writing this on behalf of my Rookie Bro, Zach Becker. Zach and I met when we went through Smokejumper rookie training together back in 2013. Since that time Zach has made a reputation for himself as a hard hitter on the fire line that doesn’t shy away from challenging assignments. His determination and ability to rise to any occasion make him someone that you want to work with and proud to have on your team.

In August Zita Greenwell-Gallegos the mother of Zach’s child sadly and unexpectedly passed away, leaving his son Tristen without a mother and Zach as the sole caretaker. Zach immediately dropped everything and left Alaska to be with his son in Texas during their grieving process.

Most folks understand as wildland fire fighters we make most of our income in the summer when fires are burning and there’s demand for our services. Now Zach is faced with a difficult decision, whether he should return to work and earn income for the remainder of the fire season or spend this time with his son after the loss of his mother. My hope for this Go Fund Me is that we can make the later happen. This is surely one of the most traumatic experiences of young Tristen’s life and I can’t imagine a more important time for a father to be with his son. Thank you for reading this and if you feel inclined to donate, I know it will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Bryan Cordes