Living for Zachary

Living for Zachary was founded in honor of Zachary Schrah, who was only 16 years old when he collapsed during football practice at Plano East Senior High School in Plano on April 2, 2009. There was no warning. There were no signs. After Zachary’s death, Living for Zachary, a non-profit organization, was established to raise awareness of undiagnosed heart issues in teens. The Schrah family later learned Zac died from a congenital heart disease called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), a common cause of SCA in young people, including young athletes.

Living for Zachary is dedicated to raising awareness of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in youth and saving lives through community education and awareness events, promoting youth heart screenings, awarding student scholarships and donating automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to youth-based organizations.

Zac planned to pursue a profession in the medical industry, and this scholarship honors his memory by supporting students pursuing post-secondary education in the medical profession.

Living for Zachary hopes to demonstrate the ideal Zac quoted in an essay shortly before he died “Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.”