Zachary Mark MacLeod

With heavy hearts, we sadly announce the passing of our beloved Zachary Mark MacLeod who passed away peacefully at the Victoria General Hospital on June 30th with his family by his side. Zachary was a son, an older brother, grandson, and above all the love of our lives. He was born in White Rock, British Columbia in 1994 and diagnosed with Down Syndrome, followed by a later diagnosis of Autism.

Zachary was special, unique, and precious. He always brought out the best in people and he could easily turn a difficult day into an enjoyable day by his mere presence. Zachary’s exceptionalities never defined him. He was defined by his joy for the basic pleasures in life. Among those were his love for food. The moment you went through McDonald’s or Tim Horton’s drive thru, Zachary knew what was coming and showed his excitement through his many sounds and the huge smile on his face. Other favourite foods included pancakes with dripping maple syrup, shepherds pie with lots of ketchup, carrot cake and Joe Louis.

The beach was Zachary’s happy place. He would be mesmerized by the texture of sand slipping through his fingers, the wind on his face, and the sea caressing his toes, offering Zachary a peaceful and joyful space to be himself.

Zachary enjoyed long walks in the park and being close to nature. He also loved drives in the car while his favourite music played on the radio. Music soothed Zachary and he could sit for hours watching and listening to Shania Twain, Cher, Adele, Beyonce or Celine Dion. What exquisite taste he had in music and beautiful women!

He enjoyed his trips to Hatfield Farms or the Shubenacadie Zoo to pat the animals. Additionally, Zachary loved bouncing a ball, playing catch, nestling in a corner twisting his rope and rocking himself to sleep on his bed.

Zachary thrived on routine and structure; it brought him a sense of peace and security. Though non-verbal, Zachary communicated in ways that spoke volumes. He could be heard belly laughing at times, and although we did not know what he was laughing at, it was contagious, and we could not help but laugh with him. There were also times when he would cry, and it was heartbreaking not knowing if he was sick or sad.

Zachary’s presence was wholesome, and his impact immeasurable. He touched the hearts of those in daycares, schools, recreation centres and communities.

He inspired us to be better in all facets of life. Zachary taught us patience, joy, and compassion and how to love unconditionally. He was our pride and joy – a teacher of life’s most valuable lessons without even saying a word (resiliency, inclusivity, acceptance, tolerance, and kindness) and never to sweat the small stuff.

We are deeply grateful to Zachary’s extended family at Our Neighbourhood Living Society for their loving care, support, and compassion throughout his time for the past 16+ years. They provided us a sense of security and safety knowing that all of Zachary’s needs were being met and more importantly, a sense of belonging and an abundance of love. We strongly believe it takes “special” people to take care of children like our Zachary, and we will be eternally grateful to you all. We recognize that your loss is significant.

Zachary is survived by his mom, Lisa MacLeod; his dad, Mark MacLeod (Amy); his sister Abby MacLeod; his nana (Helen MacLeod); his grandma and grandpa (Marrianne and Carl Couckuyt); Aunt Laura, Aunt Dawn Fraser (John), Aunt Kim Dolan (Liam), and Aunt Lynne (Doug) and countless cousins.

Zachary is predeceased by his beloved Uncle Shannon, cousin Graham Sear and Grandpy MacLeod. We hold the strong belief that they welcomed Zachary at heaven’s gate with open arms. God has now given Zachary a voice, and he speaks and sings freely, soaring with the angels.

On June 21st, Zachary was admitted to QEII (ICU) and then transferred to the Victoria General Hospital (ICU). A heartfelt and special thank you to the on-duty staff (ONLS), paramedics (EHS), nurses, respiratory therapists and doctors for their unwavering care and compassion for Zachary and family members during his hospital stay.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Zachary’s memory to organizations supporting those with Autism and Down Syndrome.

Zachary’s light will forever shine in our hearts, and his memory will live in us and be our guiding star.

“The song has ended, but the melody lingers on” – Irving Berlin.

A Celebration of Life is scheduled for Thursday, July 10th from 4:00 – 6:00 pm at the J.A. Snow Funeral Home, 339 Lacewood Drive, Halifax. The family will receive guests beginning at 4:00 pm, with brief remarks from the family to follow at 5:00 pm.