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Tom Winters:
Sometimes the really good guys do not make "the news". We will celebrate Zak's life on Sunday in Seattle.
Zak Jones
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Sometimes the really good guys do not make "the news". We will celebrate Zak's life on Sunday in Seattle.
nkw5
Contributor
I am amazed at how eloquent some of you are in the previous threads. What a great tribute your words are to Zak and hopefully a comfort to his family and friends.
I never had the privilege of meeting Zak, but he has touched my life and I am deeply saddened by his death. You see, he helped train my dive buddy who says Zac made him a much better diver and person. Since my buddy has permanently changed my life, I got a dose of Zak through osmosis. And I suspect Zac will live on in this way. The circle of people Zak personally touched will say or do something because of what he said or did to them, and his influence will ripple on and on.
They say a measure of a person's greatness is in how he is remembered when he is gone. We would have to conclude the world and especially the dive community lost a truly great person.
I never had the privilege of meeting Zak, but he has touched my life and I am deeply saddened by his death. You see, he helped train my dive buddy who says Zac made him a much better diver and person. Since my buddy has permanently changed my life, I got a dose of Zak through osmosis. And I suspect Zac will live on in this way. The circle of people Zak personally touched will say or do something because of what he said or did to them, and his influence will ripple on and on.
They say a measure of a person's greatness is in how he is remembered when he is gone. We would have to conclude the world and especially the dive community lost a truly great person.
scubagroomer
Guest
Zak Jones...he was my instructor, my friend and my family.
I met Zak when he was managing a dive shop in the Puget Sound area. I was immediately drawn to his dynamic personality. He took me from my AOW to PADI instructor.
He instructed my wife (Theresa) through her open water cert. We spent hours in the water together and it turned into a wonderful relationship. I was recently asked to give a toast in his memory...my thoughts turned to the idea of a legacy. Dive instruction is a unique setting...we take and we give...we are all so connected. When we lose a diver...it hits us and we pause to think. The loss of Zak has sent a giant ripple through our community. A far greater impact though has been Zak's larger than life self. His enthusiasm and love of diving were passed on to so many of us.
I will always take a part of Zak with me and continue on with his legacy, I will always appreciate the times we had and remember the things that I learned.
To Zak...my instructor, my friend and my brother...peace and love
To Robyn...my love and support
To the Family...my deepest sympathies
Stan Groomer
I met Zak when he was managing a dive shop in the Puget Sound area. I was immediately drawn to his dynamic personality. He took me from my AOW to PADI instructor.
He instructed my wife (Theresa) through her open water cert. We spent hours in the water together and it turned into a wonderful relationship. I was recently asked to give a toast in his memory...my thoughts turned to the idea of a legacy. Dive instruction is a unique setting...we take and we give...we are all so connected. When we lose a diver...it hits us and we pause to think. The loss of Zak has sent a giant ripple through our community. A far greater impact though has been Zak's larger than life self. His enthusiasm and love of diving were passed on to so many of us.
I will always take a part of Zak with me and continue on with his legacy, I will always appreciate the times we had and remember the things that I learned.
To Zak...my instructor, my friend and my brother...peace and love
To Robyn...my love and support
To the Family...my deepest sympathies
Stan Groomer
nlucey
Guest
I would like to add my name to the long list of people who have been immensely saddened by the passing of Zak. I knew Zak only briefly, but was so impressed by his positive spirit, outgoing nature and professional attitude. The diving world has just suffered an unfathomable loss.
My thoughts and prayers to the Jones family.
Nick Lucey
My thoughts and prayers to the Jones family.
Nick Lucey
Froschmann
Guest
I never had the chance to meet Zak but his legacy does affect me through my instructor and friends (thank you Stan and Theresa, for being in our life).
To Zak rest in peace, and I hope I will have the opportunity to learn from you and dive with you in another life .
To his family my deepest condolences
F.
To Zak rest in peace, and I hope I will have the opportunity to learn from you and dive with you in another life .
To his family my deepest condolences
F.
Still no news on how Zak died. I've never known such a news blackout after an accident. I dived with Zak many times and dive a CCR myself, and it is a matter of personal importance to me to know what went wrong. Someone?
peterbj7:
I have that same "Need to Know" feeling inside. However, I'm not sure everyone's ready to know yet (Im not). I know that if it were Zak's choice, he'd want us to learn from this horrible incident and not let it go un-discussed .
He would expect us to pull each and every little thing apart looking for an answer as to ,what went wrong , what happened, what could have been one to avoid whatever. This Im certain. However, Im convicted when I say that Zak would always want us to have some tact in doing so. We must remember there are many people that just come to this thread and read about him to help heal the wounds of his sudden absents. Theres still so much sadness in the air , people need time to heal and begin to accept all of this.
I urge you to please give it some more time, it will all come out soon. Lets try to continue to celebrate his life for now, please .
Just to let you know that the memorial for Zak at the Seattle Aquarium last Sunday night had 350 people in attendance. If there is any greater measure of the way you impact the lives of those around you just look at that number. If you would like to add a remembrance to his guest book here is the URL,
http://legacy.com/NWclassifieds/Guestbook.asp?Page=GuestBook&PersonId=15829655
http://legacy.com/NWclassifieds/Guestbook.asp?Page=GuestBook&PersonId=15829655
Zak was my course director in July, and I have so many funny memories of him. The straw hat has been mentioned many times, do you also remember his complete inability to tan?
He always wore factor 40 or more, and was totally envious of my boyfriends ability to bronze in one day. Zak gave him the nickname of "Mahogany Man", which still sticks now!!
Zaks Tank Rodeo has to be one of the funniest things I have seen under water, and we continue the tradition today!!
But, as well as making us laugh he was a fantastic instructor with more enthusiasm and passion for life than anyone I have ever met. His death is a great loss, but he will always be remembered by the many people he came into contact with.
He always wore factor 40 or more, and was totally envious of my boyfriends ability to bronze in one day. Zak gave him the nickname of "Mahogany Man", which still sticks now!!
Zaks Tank Rodeo has to be one of the funniest things I have seen under water, and we continue the tradition today!!
But, as well as making us laugh he was a fantastic instructor with more enthusiasm and passion for life than anyone I have ever met. His death is a great loss, but he will always be remembered by the many people he came into contact with.
I don't remember the tank rodeo. Please explain. I was in his classes recently also, but don't remember this.
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