Zach Waddle and girlfriend killed

[Crab]

i feel sick...

matt and char, please dont get hung up on this. imo you are gods for doing anything at all.

rip takeastandsj.........

Agree, he got cut up real bad around his ankles and legs running through some thorns before jumping in the water, he is my hero for his effort.

 

[crashski]

It’s been a day and I still don’t know what to say;
We got the phone call Saturday morning @ 8 and couldn’t believe it. I was thinking I was just with them a couple hours ago it has to be wrong. We had been talking @ the sportsman about riding @ in long beach Washington as soon as I got me ski fixed and I was really excited to do get the chance to ride with him more.
Even though I didn’t know them as well as most of you they still felt like family to me just like all of you do.

I want to apologize for breaking the news to so many of you early Saturday morning and not having all the information I felt bad. I just thought you all should know and not be blind sided when you arrived @ the beach.

Kevin

 

[Matt_E]

Kevin,

Thank you so much for doing what you did, for informing people.
I could bear to make only one phone call to Crab & You. That was hard enough, thank you for doing all the other calls.

 

[djkorn1]

I have erased ten times what I wrote- nothing seems to work. Nothing will. I am sitting here alone and my house is empty, Nick and his amazing wife, Sarah, have left back to Florida- I wish they didn't leave, they were so enjoyable to be around. I dont have anything or anybody to talk to and this silence sucks so i guess i write here.

I am so sorry for the parents of Zach and Libby. I am so sorry for Tasshia . I am just sad and sorry for the pain that this is causing.

I get to the beach on Friday and Zach takes my boat after EJ tunes it and brings it back and says, "bam Swanny she's a good one, lets ride." Ive had a chance to get to know these wonderful people over the last few years and you could tell that he was super stoked to ride. The thing is about Zach he was always stoked to ride, and this guy would ride a lot. When I first met him maybe six years ago I would always notice this guy with a blue boat with racing numbers riding damn near 15 gallons a session in the surf. But this time was a different stoke. He recently had a baby a year ago and it cut into his riding time so you could tell he was eager to get out, even in the small stuff. When all else complain about the surf, Zach never said a word about bad surf. He just doesn't want to get salty though, this guy rode hard and he had gotten really really good. We head out and go find some shore break south of the mouth. Moody, Jerry Brandon, Cuong, Tod and Kenlin, I remember thinking to myself, "not good surf, but amazing people, jeeez this is cool." There was one surf slash where I was maybe 30 feet behind a wave that he just beat up and the damn spray hit me so hard I almost got mad for a split second. I started laughing cause he just freaking doused me so hard. I remember three slashes from him that session.

We then met at the mexi restaurant and had a little dinner and enjoyed ourselves for a while. I started to get tired and thought about calling it a night, but those three wouldnt let me call it a night so next door we went. Libby had some pop in her that night. She was on fire, cracking me up, taking charge and simply having fun.

The end of the night at the Nestucca lodge was me, Nick, Sarah, Long Beach Eddie, Sirlin, Kevin (crashski), Ludo, Cuong, Zach, Libby, and Tasshia. We left five minutes after they did and not more than ten minutes after that was the accident.

Zach and Libby had an amazing last day and night. They will forever be remembered by a lot of people. They have left a wonderful little boy to this world that I hope will never get tired of hearing stories about his mom and dad. I will never quit talking about my buddy Zach. He noticed I had been riding solo lately and he promised me he was going to be heading to Gearhart to ride with me a lot. It was twice as close to his house and we had an extensive talk about riding next weekend. I was so excited to get a chance to start riding a lot with Zach. He was my riding buddy. He was many peoples riding buddy, but they were both everyones buddy.

R.I.P. Zach and Libby-

Nicely put, Swanny.

 

[Matt_E]

Courtesy of Lisa Price.

 

[Shonuff]

It's a goddamn tragedy.

 

[Scott Kalisch]

Matt- Hold your head high...you did all you could, and thats something that most might not have been able to do. Some freeze up, and dont react at all..you risked life and tried your best. The rest was in Gods hands.

I am sorry for this tragedy and wish i was able to help out more.

Good speed Zach and Libby, gone too soon, and without warning.

man I really hate reading stuff like this, it's just horrible.

Scott Kalisch.

 

[Shonuff]

Courtesy of Lisa Price.

http://www.x-h2o.com/threads/38315

It all makes we want to cry.

 

[rasper99]

I don't really know what to say right now but wanted to throw in some pictures. It was surreal after hearing the news Saturday morning from Crab. It just didn't seem like it could have happened.

Then we went to the event. I saw his PWC with the donation box on it (pictured attached). He rode it Friday for the last time. That is when it sunk in.

There is also a picture of our hero Matt (on the left) that shows the scratches on his legs.

 

[LisaLisa]

What a devastating loss. I got the call Saturday morning just as I was arriving in SoCal. Pam and EJ weren't sure of Zach's last name; she kept saying "Zach's gone - they're dead!" and I was in total denial. It HAD to be someone else....then she said "it's the Zach that did the Tour last year" and I knew. I knew it was true. I almost vomited right there at the airport.

All afternoon, I thought about these two vibrant young people with so much life in them, and their tiny son, and how sad it is that his life is forever changed. I thought about how it must have felt for their families to get that terrible call. I just could not begin to imagine the anguish of losing one of my children. My heart breaks for them all.

And now I'm thinking of that brave man who tried so desperately to save a life, and the personal helll he and his wife must be going through. Matt, what you did was beyond amazing; never forget you did all you could for them. Sometimes there simply is nothing more you can do. But honor their memories and make it a priority to sit down this week with a professional - you need to release this.

And finally, the oddest thing happened Saturday afternoon. I was sharing some pictures with Aaron on my old laptop, and just randomly clicking on files with no definitive ID from the Surf Slam folder...when up popped this image.

I'd like to think this was no coincidence...that it's Zach and his girl's way of letting us know they're looking down from Heaven on thier young son and all who loved them both with those beautiful smiles.

Peace be with them both,
LP

 

[SXIPro]

:frown: Horrible. I just can't imagine. Prayers to the families and friends.

Matt_E, your boys certainly have a Daddy they can be extremely proud of.

 

[mikey2274]

Although I did not personally know anyone involved in this tragedy...my heart, my thoughts, and my prayers go out to all involved in this catastrophic loss. This truely saddens me. We're all brothers and sisters on the water. Heaven's a better place now.

 

[JasonU]

R.I.P. Zach and Libby

Here's a great pic.

 

[stanton]

this is too much. i feel like poop.
i should have gone.....

 

[Mrs Cattledog]

Horrible

This is so very, very sad! Words can never justify how horrible this really is. I still don't understand how people can continue to drink and drive........

 

[oxnard111]

This is freakin horrible. RIP.

I hope their son lives a full and happy life... I hope they had family that can take him in.

 

[brett]

i about fell out when crab told me about this last night and it was a shocker for sure.

i am sorry you had to be the 1 to discover this devestating incident and hope you can get some help w/ the recovery from it. i hope to god that someone gives their son a good home and imortalizes his parents to him.

i for see a ski to auction to set this young child up for college and such

i got some parts i'll sell or donate for this kid.....i hope the best for him...

 

[LBE]

Shonuf: That pic made me loose it.

I'm honored I got to ride with Zach on Friday.

Matt, no appology needed. My heart and prayer go out to you as well.

 

[Big Kahuna]

God Speed Zack and Libby........

Harrison.


The World is a little less full without you guys. But your lives will continue with that Beautiful little boy.........

 

[damnthathurt2]

there is nothing I can add that everyone here has not already said. I didnt know either of them but, my thoughts go out to all involved
and by the pic above the little guy looks to have a future, hopefully what ever family member he ends up with continues to instill what his parents started...