Bill Neessen Elk of the Year, POY, Public Relations Chairman
Posts: 2619
Posted on: Jan. 21 2012,8:25 am
Orange Elks member John Hollaway brought our attention to a family friend and local young man. Zack Collie is a typical 17 year old living in So. California. He enjoys hanging with his friends, playing on-line video games, dirt-biking in the desert, camping at the Colorado River, watching movies, texting his friends, going to the beach, taking boxing lessons and was on the Yorba Linda H S wrestling team. On May 31, 2010, Memorial Day, all that changed. Zack sustained a life-changing injury. While bodysurfing at Newport Beach, CA, he broke his neck at the 4th vertebrae and damaged his spinal cord. He was immediately paralyzed, fully conscious, and floating face down in the surf. Fortunately for Zack, his friend was close, turned him over and got him to the beach saving his life. He was rushed to Hoag Hospital and then transferred to CHOC in Orange, CA. After a six hour operation he remained at CHOC for two weeks. From there he was transported to Casa Colina Inpatient Rehab in Pomona, CA. where he was in rehab for about six weeks and was taught life-skills to learn how to function with his disability. He had some movement in his forearms and was paralyzed from the chest down. After Zack was released from Casa Colina, he choose enter an out-patient physical therapy program at Project Walk in Carlsbad, CA where he travels twice a week for therapy. He choose Project Walk because it is an intensive exercise-based recovery program designed to stimulate the nervous system. This is not a six month, one or two year program. It is a program dedicated to pushing you as hard as possible to recover as much as possible, however long it takes. This is the program that their clients have chosen who have made the most recovery. At a recent therapy session, his trainer pulled Zack to a standing position, placed in a walker in front of him and he was able to lift his foot and swing it forward.
The Orange Elks Lodge donated $500 to Zack for his therapy.
Pictured are ( L – R) areJohn, Zack and his mom Amber
Bill Neessen Elk of the Year, POY, Public Relations Chairman
Posts: 2619
Posted on: Mar. 14 2012,4:52 pm
Old Orange Brewing Co will be hosting a fundraiser March 17th from 1-8pm for my friend(Amber Collie) son Zack.
Zack sustained a life-changing injury, when he dove into a wave at Newport Beach and broke his neck at the 4th vertebrae and damaged his spinal cord on May 31, 2010, Memorial Day,. He was immediately paralyzed.
The proceeds from the event will go to support Zach Collie as Project Walk is not covered by insurance.
Zack decided to do this last minute his peers had no idea, on the field it was hard to see but in the end it was powerful and I'm glad he pushed himself after all you only "walk" once to get your high school diploma!
Please click on video or youtube link below...
Also visit Zack's blog at: zcollie.blogspot.com  for updates, photos and donations
There is another video with music added if you search Zack Collie on youtube Thank you to Kara, Mitch and Project Walk...
Thanks for letting us share with you Amber Collie (Zack's mom)
Bill Neessen Elk of the Year, POY, Public Relations Chairman
Posts: 2619
Posted on: Feb. 18 2016,2:38 pm
A NEW VIDEO ON ZACK!!
Please WATCH this Video. This is Zack's Personal Story on how he was Paralyzed in 2010 only 15 years old. He has Amazed me and inspired many others to Persevere even when things don't go the way you planned.
PASS this on to Anyone who could use some Hope today. Thank You!
