R.I.P. Zach Sobiech

Zach Sobiech wants you to know he was “a kid who went down fighting.” More than that, he was a kid who knew how to live.

Now, I don’t often blog about real people – you know what I mean. But Zach’s story is just too awesome not to share.

Zach was an 18-year-old boy from Minnesota who lost his battle with cancer yesterday. Lest you think it so, his was anything but a sob story but rather, a celebration of life pretty much from the moment he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma when he was 14.

From that second on, Zach lived the rest of his life just like had lived it all along: joyfully and going for it, realizing as many of his dreams as possible, and always trying “to make people happy.”

“It’s really simple, actually,” he says in this 22-minute short I just watched, My Last Days: Meet Zach Sobiech. “Just try to make people happy.”

Zach did that by being the best son, brother, friend, boyfriend, and fighter he could be, and through his music. Part of his legacy the world is fortunate to share in thanks to the aforementioned film, and through a song (one of many) he wrote to express himself and cope with his condition. This song is called “Clouds,” and it is a good one – listen up, Grammy folks! – and an inspiring one.

Just like Zach.

His zest for life caught the attention of some famous people including Bryan Cranston, Sarah Silverman, Rachel Bilson, Sarah Bareilles, Jason, Mraz, Anna Faris and Chris Pratt, and the cast of The Office, all of whom were among the Hollywood folk who paid tribute to Zach via video.

If you wanna help Zach realize his wish to make people happy, especially children with cancer, stand up to cancer any way you can...or give to the Zach Sobiech Osteosarcoma Fund. 

Photo: People.com.