Zach Waddle and girlfriend killed

[ph2ocraft]

I was talking with Randy from Watcon today and learned Zac was struck by a vehicle and died.
It seems we just never know when our time is up, take advantage of the guud times and live life like every day is your last.
Randy had a great though and I thought I'd pass it on.

If there's somebody you have a beef with or mad at, take the ten minutes and set things right. Life's just to short to waste on anger or a silly tiff.

I called an old freind tonight.

 

[crammit442]

WOW! That's awful. I hate to hear it.

 

[Shonuff]

 

[Phill]

Here is a lame article on what happened. Both him and his girlfriend (maybe wife?) were killed. They also had a one year old. It's sad to hear something like this.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/08/three_killed_in_tillamook_cras.html

 

[Matt_E]

I just got home from the Blowsion Beach Party 08.
I left a day early because of this.

I was the first person on the scene and will not ever forget what happened.
I was staying at the same place as Zach and heard the accident happen at 2am in the morning.

God damn people, god dam.
This is a tragedy, a screwup, and it's terrible.

Zach and Libby were struck from behind on a dark road at 2:00 am by a Trailblazer.
Both of them and the vehicle ended up in the Nestucca river.

Zach was pronounced dead at 2:13am on 8/9/2008.
He was 26 years old.
His girlfriend Libby was pronounced dead a very short while later. She was also 26.
They had an 11 month old little boy together.

The driver of the vehicle was 22 years old and the son of the firechief on the scene.
The vehicle was 6-7 feet underwater.
Only the passenger escaped. His screams for help in the quiet of the night will haunt me.

The scene on the beach on Saturday was sad and serene for many there.
Johnny arranged to have Zach's ski there with a collection box for their young son.

 

[brett]

horrible....

 

[madscientist]

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

 

[kawasakit2me]

OMG I am so so sorry to hear that. My heart is broken for their families and friends.

 

[subseawellhead]

Frickin terrible

 

[Matt_E]

Here's the full story from me.

I stayed at the same place as Zack and was woken up by the sound of skidding tires at 2am in the morning. Half a minute later, the passenger got out and started wailing for help in the quiet of the night.
I'll never forget the sounds of that.
I got a flash light and ran down there as fast as I could.
I saw headlights and tail lights far under water, in the dark river.
He kept yelling "That's my brother, my brother is in there, save my brother!" (It turned out that his brother had been dropped of a few minutes before the accident, he was no longer in the vehicle. There was only one person left in the car, not two, as the passenger alleged)
I jumped down the embankment, into the river. I swam over to the car and dove down.
I could not see a damn thing and inhaled water. I tried a couple more times and realized I simply could not get to it. The roof of the car was about 6-7 feet down.
It was terrible to be that close and yet so far from someone dying right there, without being able to do a thing about it.

I got back out and heaved.
Once emergency crews got there, they spotted a body in the water, right at the water's edge.
I got down there again, with an EMT and got him onto a stretcher basket and strapped him in.
We lifted him up to the road, when I realized it was Zach Waddle. He was pronounced dead at 2:13 am on 8/9/08.
His girlfriend Libby was pulled from the water a short time later and also pronounced dead, after some brief resuscitation attempts.
The car (Trailblazer) was pulled out of the water by 8am, with the driver still in it.
My wife Char talked to the mother of the driver at that time, when she excused herself to go see her baby boy. :crying:

It appears Zach and Libby were standing on the side of the road and were struck from behind and thrown into the river.


I am terribly sorry I could not help.

 

[TB]

justin: i want you to take any funds from the getwellmark account and do whatever it takes to get it into whatever fund is set up for zach and libby's little boy..he needs it way more than i will ever need it.

 

[Char_E]

I am matt_E's wife and feel there is alot to be said that he neglected . sooo..... here it goes.

Everything Matt said was true but he left a few things out . A news article is good but it is what it is and that is it. The sounds and the and the lack of sounds will haunt us forever and a news article can not express them.

Matt and I were the first on the scene.

Matt and I were in a tent with our 3 boys sleeping. at around two we heard the accident. The screeching of tires, the absence of an impact. You expect to here crunching metal and breaking glass after tires squeal like that. There was none Just a soft blunt noise and then total quiet. A few seconds passed no more. My heart was racing. Did someone hit a bush? Did they recover their grip on the road and pull out of it?

A second more passed..........

"Help! I need help down here." I cant get the survivors cry out of my head. It was so desperate. So utterly hopeless.The only noise breaking the dark silence of the night. Every second counted and it was so so so dark that night. we were out of town no one to hear it but us.

Matt got up grabbed the flashlight. Another guy staying near by ran down too. The other guy went to the phone for 911. Matt was left to brave the rosebushes between him and the water. (His arms and legs are cut up pretty bad). Matt jumped in. The survivor said his brother was there. In the car at the bottom of the river. The headlights were still on and the river was completely still. All the sound in the world came from this desperate kid. and seconds were passing.

Matt jumped in. I grabbed a life jacket and a sleeping bag for warmth for any one who needed them. I ran down to the scene. l yelled for Matt trying to see what was down there and then I saw the head lights. I heard the soundlessness of the moment and it too will haunt me forever.

Matt dove and dove and dove. The water was cold. The car was to deep. Matt could not get to it. I watched my DEFEATED husband emerge from the bushed and crumple. as the authorities arrived. There was nothing he could do. He was forced to swim and dive around this car in the dark water while someone under him was dyeing. he was helpless to do anything.

This is so horrible, I am sorry I have to post it But I have to get it out bear with me.

When the Emergency crew arrived they scanned the river with lights and found a body. They found another one not to far away. (Zack and LIBBY) We did not yet know who they were. They needed help and asked Matt to help again.

Matt hauled Zack's body out of the river two nights ago.

He was pronounced dead at 2:13.

We thought at this time that Zack and Libby came from the vehicle. There was no reason in the world to think that Two people would be standing on such a dark road. That they had been hit by the car that went in. And OMG That means there is still another person in the car.

That moment was so HEAVY! I will not ever be the same. Matt will never. he was so close. But not close enough. WE were never told about LIBBY and Zack until it was to late. Had we heard??? Had anyone said to Matt that they were there we could have looked. We could have done something. How could we have known.

Libbys friend was out at hotel and all she could say was. "Something is wrong here" She knew Zack and Libbly went for that walk.. But assumed that they were helping with the crash i suppose. She was in terrible shock. Looking back now I know it. S
I feel so cheated. We were never given an opportunity to look for Zack and Libby.I keep going over it if only we had known.IF ONLY.............

As the laid Zack on the ground Tasshia (Libby's friend) walked up. Clearly in major shock. She looked down at Zack and yelled at him to get up. She pounded on his chest and said "ZACK WAKE UP NOW" She ran to the woods for LIbby. Clearly still thinking they were just taking a walk. The Emergency crews took her away because they had found Libby's body.

it was at that moment. When she yelled out Zacks name that Matt knew he had just hauled up the body of a fellow Jetski brother. Matt crumpled again. It was to much to take in. He had not stopped long enough to look before. he was just trying to save people if he could.

I can not believe this has happened.

Time passed quicker from that point. Matt was in a sort of shock himself and was freezing from the frigged water.

They pushed us aside and did their jobs from then on out. It took them removing the car from the River before the Driver could be recovered.

Too late... Too Damned late.......

Nothing will ever bring them back. Nothing will erase this from my mind.

I am so so so sorry for this loss. For these family's for poor Tasshia and their son. So damned sorry. If only it had been different somehow.They will undoubtedly never be the same. I wish... I just wish....

Every second counted... And it was not enough. If only it had been different.

I DON'T THINK I WILL EVER DRINK AGAIN!

What is the gain?
It is not worth it. There is nothing good in alcohol.

I just can't believe this has happened.

I am so so so SORRY!

 

[swanny]

hey (slutty posting under swanny)

my heart and hopes go out to the family. I was not coping too well, so we left early too. I, the wife and swan are still completely devastated over this horrible event. I just hoping this all was a bad dream!!!!

I first met Zach at the 2005 hydro Turf Championships... He was a great guy and damn good rider. I the wake of this accident I will be allotting a percentage of the feeride funds to his surviving son and the family...

Matt, I'm so sorry for your experience. You are truly a great person for your unselfish acts.

 

[Matt_E]

I wish I could have done something.

I am sorry Zach.

 

[Mike W]

I wish I could have done something.

I am sorry Zach.

My prayers go out to the families of this horrible accident.

Matt, not sure how to say this but make sure you talk to someone and don't hold this in. I had something horrible like this happen to me a couple years ago and I thought I could handle it myself by holding it in. Thought I was a tough guy. My family helped me through the tough (mental) times. It will be beneficial to talk about it to someone.

 

[KR]

fundraiser, someone start it. I will send $$$ for this kid. My best friend grew up in a foster home, and his parents were killed by a drunk driver when he was 2 years old. I obviously don't know the feeling of being raised without a family but I understand how hard it must have been. I will do whatever I can to help this kid out. Heart and prayers go out to him too.

 

[WAB]

Some of us only know other members by their screen names and what they post. The pic that was posted looks like takeastandsj's avatar. Is this him?
My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and child of Zach and his girlfriend.

 

[Matt_E]

Yes, Zach Waddle = TakeaStandSJ

 

[hangtime]

A very sad story indeed .You truly never know when your time is up .
I feel very bad for the little kid ,never getting to know your parents must be tough .


Alcohol is the most evil drug in the world and it is legal

 

[Matt_E]

Zach was riding with everyone on Friday in Pacific City. Cuong, Ross, Crab, Mike (Serlin), Swanny, etc were all out riding with him for hours on Friday.
The next morning he and Libby were gone.