World class Athlete?! World class Human being!
Just what does it mean to be World class?
Some one that competes in a field of international participants and or Peers?
As an athlete or a chef that may be true.
But what is a World class Person?
Let me define that for you. Zachery Arthur Waddle
In the last week I have received calls from dozens around the globe.
From Riders, Staff, Promoters, Announcers, Spectators, and Safety teams. Some of these people knew Zach for as little as a day, others for several years. Yet all have been touched by knowing him enough to reach out to convey their sympathy. In fact, had the service been held on Saturday, you'd have seen many of these friends from abroad mingled amongst the many, many local friends and family of both Libby and Zack. Their hearts were there if they were not!
For a guy from a small town in the Northwest that cut his teeth hunting , fishing, and riding motocross in the woods, he had and still has many friends from every corner of the globe. It's really amazing.
Does that make him World class? Maybe, but for me its the fact that, whether from Medford or Marrakesh, Alaska or the Amazon, he treated all he met as if they were a neighbor. Even if some didn't speak the same language it was easy for them to see that in him.
I now understand why it was so hard to get together. So many people wanted a part of their time.
I wish it had been a wedding we all were attending but one beautiful thing I took from the day was the clear recognition of how Mason is such a precious Gift to both families. Seeing him for the first time, I couldn't help but feel great. He is a little part of both of them! He is the light in this Darkness. I felt so proud of my friend!
It will be good fun watching and hearing about him growing to be everything his Mom and Dad were and more!
World class Jet skier? Yes but he was so much more, A world class family man and a world class friend!
Xan Sampaio and Zach on the way out of Indo.
Team BaliBreak.
