THE young Port Macquarie man killed by a shark will be farewelled on Saturday in what his family hope will be a colourful celebration of his life.
The ceremony to say goodbye to 19-year-old Zac Young will be held at St Columba School at 1pm and is expected to attract hundreds of people, with the tragic death of the young Christian bodyboarder touching thousands of lives.
Yesterday Zac’s father, Kevin Young, told the Independent he and his family were overwhelmed with the support from the community in the wake of his death.
He said Zac – a committed Christian known for his positive outlook and infectious faith – had wanted to change the world.
“I guess we are happy to see that starting to happen from the response from the community,” he said.
He said the Young family wanted Zac’s farewell to be a colourful celebration of his life and in no way a dull and sombre occasion.
“Just casual and lots of bright colours,” he said, when asked what people should wear.
The teenager died after being attacked by a tiger shark while bodyboarding at a beach just north of Coffs Harbour, with his three friends risking their lives to pull him to shore.
He lapsed into unconsciousness from blood loss after saying a prayer and telling his friends he loved them.
On Sunday morning his father Kevin addressed a memorial service at Port Macquarie High School, paying tribute to his son and the bravery of his three mates who tried to save him.
Later on Sunday around 400 friends and fellow surfers gathered at Town Beach to join in prayer and then form a circle off the beach to remember Zac.
Zac was a member of the Port Macquarie Bodyboarders Association, which set up a Facebook page in his memory – www.facebook.com/inmemoryofzac As of yesterday morning this had received 27,303 likes.
Friends shared their anguish at his loss, saying he was a “positive happy person who lived life to the fullest” and someone who was “always looking out for others”.
Others said Zac, a Youth For Christ intern, had a love for God that was contagious.
His tragic death even touched people who did not know him, as per this post on Facebook: “I am so very moved by the amount of love for this beautiful boy. You lived down the street from me, Zac. I drive past your place every day. You smiled at me, you waved even though you never knew me.
“I feel compelled to do something, not sure what it is I have to do? I want to go in and hug your family, to tell them that they are being thought of by so many people. I just want to do something yet I didn’t even know you. You have left an amazing legacy, Zac Young. You have changed my outlook on life. You have made me think about a lot of things and I really thank you for that.”
The teenager was on a surfing road trip with his mates after getting his driver’s licence when he was attacked about 100m offshore.
One of them, Kurt Gillan, wrote on Facebook that Zac prayed as he was being dragged to shore.
“He passed away peacefully, no pain, with his last words to me being: ‘I love you brother’,” Kurt said.
“He began to pray ‘please God, my Lord and Saviour, help protect my friends and help me through this time of need’. He then went unconscious.”
Kurt and friends Lindsy Isaac, 14, and Shayden Schrader, 15, tried to resuscitate Zac, but he went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead shortly after.
The regional co-ordinator of the Christian Surfers network, David Malvern, who was a good friend and mentor and worked daily with Zac, told the national media the teenager “would have changed the world”.
“Part of me is so gutted and shocked. I do and I don’t feel cheated that he’s not here,” he said. “I have no doubt he would have changed the world; I fully thought he was going to.”
Full tribute in next week’s Independent.
WHERE AND WHEN
The funeral is open to anyone who would like to join in celebrating Zac’s life and legacy. It will be held at 1pm on Saturday at the Iona Centre, Saint Columba School, Major Innes Road in Port Macquarie.
