Zak Jones

[peterbj7]

I made a post on another board when I heard about this. Zak worked at my dive center in Belize during 2002/3, managing the dive center and running IDCs for us. This death is truly a tragedy and we are all shocked by it. Zak was a thoughtful and careful diver and the accident is a mystery to us - we have no details at present.

If anyone knows how to contact Robyn we would like to send her a personal message.

 

[baitedstorm]

Words can not even begin to explain how very sad I am over such a loss. Zak was my CD at Pro Dive just recently. My heart breaks just thinking about not hearing his crazy quotes that always made everyone feel at ease, or seeing that amazing smile he had that just lit up the room. As my CD, I certainly didn’t always agree with him, and sometimes he made me just crazy mad, but he would always take the time to explain whatever I needed.

For those of you that didn’t have the privilege of meeting Zak, and getting to know him, I want to tell you a little about the kind of guy he was by giving you a few pieces of the IDC diary I posted in the Instructor forum while I was at Pro Dive…..

** DAY ONE** “ Our EFR Instructor is none other than Mr. Zak Jones, a great guy full of personality and spunk. He has an upbeat tone and ready to make things fun and informative. We spend most of the morning going over some basic stuff and outlining the upcoming days event. “

**DAY TWO** “ Class goes very smooth again today. Zak has me cracking up within the first few minutes of sitting down, I don’t think he’ll ever know just how much I needed to laugh, I’m thankful he’s the Instructor for the day dealing with me being homesick. “


**DAY ??** “One last presentation this evening on Rescue diving with Zak. We are all tired and ready to call it a day, so definitely has his work cut out for him trying to keep us alert. His charming smile and witty personality always seem to make his class fly by.
After class, Zak hung out with a few of us and showed us some really cool knots. It’s nice that he has taken such a personal approach to our success. I love every second I get to pick his mind. When it comes to a business approach, this man is brilliant. If you can try to imagine what must go on inside the mind of a man who says things like “spelling a word only one way shows a lack of creativity” when talking to us about being a bad speller. He makes us laugh, and at the same time brings some serious value to the table.”

There are so many things that I’m leaving out right now out of sheer disbelief that he’s gone, he was such an incredible man that his legacy will continue to live through us, the lives he touched. Every time we teach a class, his memory lives on.. I sit here trying to keep it all in perspective, just like I know he would tell us to do, but it’s hard… I can still hear him telling us “This aint your momma’s open water course” and that seems to bring a smile to my face.

I’ve recently been informed that Pro Dive will release a statement when they can, I would advise everyone to give them a chance to do so as Im sure they are still being flooded with phone calls. Just remember, Zak was part of their family too and they also need some time to grieve.

 

[makomike]

Zak you are a great guy and an even better instructor. Thank you for your positve attitude and for making me feel welcome. I will truely miss you. God bless you, your wife, and family. I am truely sorry. Rest in peace my friend and thank you so much for everything.
All i can say was zac was amazing. You could not help but be in a good mood around him. We were laughing together just days before. I find myself constantly thinking about him. I had the opportunity to meet his wife and father and he was obviously surrounded by great people. On my dives today I thought about him constantly! He was that type of person. I will never forget him! I just can't believe it. Until we meet again, zac. I'll be looking for that big straw hat and your infectious smile.
God bless,
Mike Bannon

 

[baitedstorm]

Heya Mike, glad to see you on here...
I still just can't believe this happened, I'm absolutely sick to my stomach at the thought of him not being there this Saturday when I head down to take my EANx Instructor stuff. I was at Pro Dive yesterday but had no clue this had happened. It certainly explained the sad faces I kept seeing.

I know there will be a service for him out of town, do you know if there will be any type of service for him here? I cant stop thinking about how many peope this man touched in his short life. I've spoke to several of our classmates, everyone is so devasted.

 

[makomike]

He past away on Thanksgiving Day. Everyone, even if you did't know him, Please put his wife and family in your prayer or best wishes.

 

[surfbummer]

Zak was indeed a heck of a great guy. Who could forget him walking down the ProDive training pool in his wetsuit and that straw hat every day?

I'm shocked to hear this news, and wish the best for his family.

 

[TobagoChromis]

The first time I met Zak was in October when I audited and IDC at ProDive. I was sent to assist him with an EFR course. We hit it off immediately. I felt completely at ease working with him. Zak is one of those characters that you will never forget, no matter how much you try. He grows on you. His classes were very upbeat. You could not possibly fall asleep in any of his lectures.

I met Baitedstorm and Makomike there as well as some other 17 instructor candidates all of whom thought highly of Zak. Surfbummer description of Zak walking along the poolside with his wetsuit and straw hat is so vivid in my mind.

I never met someone who was so passionate about diving and the business of diving like Zak. Though our time together was brief Zak passed on so much information and ideas to me that it's mind blowing. He could sell ice to Eskimos.

Anyone who has ever been in one of Zak's class will tell you that he loved teaching. A lecture that's was scheduled to last only an hour would easily go into over 2 hours. The Commander (ProDive's VP of Training) would always let Zak have his way, with a little warning. He knew Zak loved teaching.

Zak left a lasting impression on all of us who ever met him. Even though I have been an instructor for a long time Zak taught me some things that made teaching a lot easier. He was a mentor, a friend, a teacher. He was extremely humorous, very witty and cool. Nothing seemed to bother him and would always stay back after classes to help out the candidates. Whether its with tying knots or physics he was alwys there. Zak had a genuine interest in his candidates.

We will all miss Zak. Those of us who had the pleasure of being in one of his class will always remember his famous quote...“This aint your momma’s open water course”

My thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family.


SOLOMON

 

[tushea]

I'll always picture Zak with his "rock hands" and big smile. He was an excellent instructor and clearly loved teaching and diving. He will be missed.

I spoke to a few people today at Pro Dive and they had a get-together a couple of days ago at the Trove. The family service is going to be in Seattle. Thanks for the shared memories here. It helped me to smile as I read other's memories. Best wishes everyone, and stay safe.

Megan

 

[baitedstorm]

Hey Megan, remember mine and his great CESA debate :laughing: .... Man O Man was I mad, I was ready to spit fire and yell a few choice words.. I remember him sitting at the side of the pool wearing that straw hat with his wet suit with that huge grin on his face (how the heck can you stay mad looking at that).. As soon as everyone dropped down in the pool, he sat there and explained it all to me, got me refocused, and smiling again..

Looking back over my stuff from the IDC, I have little things all the Instructors said, it feels good to remember and smile.. I listed Zak's stuff as "The Zaktionary" because of all the stuff he said to crack us up.

Remember him telling us about his meat hooks and blowing up his water wings.. Teaching us to be respectable and not look like "Chester the molester working out of a van". I use to just smile when he would tell us he would "cut the fat" knowing darn well we were going to run late listening to his many adventures. I loved when he let us score his presentation, and the huge fuss he put up over the EFR class having to be two classes for the childrens part. I can close my eyes and still see him sitting on the floor teaching us all the while holding the cpr baby by it's leg :laughing: I can't imagine what that class would have been like with out him.

Of all of that, there's one quote that sticks close to my heart.... A few days before we were all getting ready to take the IE Zak stood in front of our class and said ....

"It's not my job to teach you how to pass the IE. My job is to teach you how to be great Instructors, if I do my job, you'll pass the I.E. anyways

 

[matts1w]

ZaK was a excellent instructor and, more importantly, a good man with a kind heart.

I will miss him dearly.