In Memory of Zackery Wells

It has been a long week already and it is only Wednesday.

I noticed the last time I blogged was last Friday….there was a reason for that. Last Saturday, I received some very bad news from a very good friend. My friend and fellow REACT member, Mike Weiss, lost his son early Saturday morning to a tragic shooting. His 19 year-old son, Zackery Wells, was at a party, celebrating the fact that he had just been accepted into the ROTC program at UCO and was actually leaving the party when a disturbance began. A young lady on the front porch was being groped by a 15 year-old boy. Zack approached the boy and told him to leave the girl alone. Then, he turned and started walking to his car to leave, when he heard the boy start to harass the girl again. He turned back around, walked up to the porch, got in between the girl and the boy and told him once again to leave her alone. The 15 year-old then took out a hand gun and shot Zack in the neck, killing him instantly. Click on the link below for the entire story.

http://www.newsok.com/west-point-appointee-national-guard-private-killed-in-saturday-shooting/article/3559749?custom_click=lead_story_title


Since Sunday, myself and many members of the Central Oklahoma REACT team have been working non-stop, trying to assist Mike and his family with funeral arrangements. Mike and his family did not have a church home, so the funeral will be taking place at my church and our interim pastor will be conducting the service. Since Zack was in the National Guard, this will be a big-time military funeral. Zack had completed 1 year at West Point Military Academy and had returned home to be closer to his family. Just last week, he received his letter, informing him he had been accepted into the UCO ROTC program. He was excited because the military was going to be his life.

So, why did Zack intervene in this situation, which caused him to lose his life? He, like his dad, has a servants heart. He liked to help other people. It did not matter what it was, he liked to help people. He did the right thing by trying to protect this young lady and gave his life in doing it. This scripture was tattood to his chest, John 15:13….” Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” He lived by this scripture…and he died by this scripture.

Since the funeral is being held at my church, then I have been the one assisting the family with the funeral arrangements. Monday evening, our interim pastor and myself, spent about an hour with Mike and his family, going over the order of service for the funeral. After the pastor left, I stayed, along with a few other REACT members and spent time with the family, talking about Zack and the impact he made on others.

Yesterday evening, I went back by Mike’s house and spent more time with the family, going over the final plans for the funeral. Around 7 other REACT members showed up as well and we all sat and had a good time of fellowship with each other. Friends and family are very important to Mike and his family right now and we want to be there as a support for the family.

Today, Zack’s body is available for viewing at the Sunny Lane Funeral Home. I am going by to see his body once I get off work. Then, I am going back to Mike’s house for a while before I have to be at church. This week, all the focus in my life has been Mike’s family. Mainly because he lost his son in a tragic shooting and his family is looking for a church home. I am here to minister to the family anyway that I need to.

Tomorrow, the funeral is at 2 pm. It will be a very tough and emotional day for all of us. That evening, I have my CFAAA meeting. I pray God will help me through the day.