Zachary Shaver was a freshman at Tarleton State University. On Monday, March 29, 2010, Shaver passed away after suffering a head injury during Texan football practice the Saturday before. After his untimely death, Shaver was mourned by teammates, coaches and classmates, and the Student Government Association founded a memorial scholarship fund. Each year, a dodge ball tournament has been hosted to raise money for the fund, although the 2015 memorial event was a powderpuff football tournament.

Despite the memorialization of Shaver’s brief time at Tarleton, his former girlfriend, current student Shelby Spears, fears that his legacy is being forgotten.

“It hurts my feelings and my heart when I tell people that I transferred out (I came back in 2013) because my boyfriend, Zach Shaver… passed away in 2010 and they have no idea who he is,” said Spears. “I want his legacy to live on because he really and truly deserves it.”

In the spirit of remembering a tragic loss, Spears collaborated with JTAC News to tell the story of Shaver’s time at Tarleton.

How did you meet Zach, and how did you two begin dating?

I met Zach my freshman year where we lived four or five doors down from each other in Traditions. I would say that we got to know each other in the dining hall with Cory Jackson, Matt McBride, Cole Vitolo, Gray Mowery, Colton Duncan and Jackson Crawley. Cole and Zach had gone to high school together and we met the others through the dorm and football. There were others but these were the guys we were closest with. We [also] became good friends with our RL, Mica Williams.

“With Zach, every day was beautiful.”

Zach and I started out as really good friends. We both would talk about our ex drama – he always told me that I deserved better… little did we know that that perfect person would be him.

We started dating right around Christmas break and we were both ecstatic about each other. With Zach, every day was beautiful. We would laugh for hours; we were together all the time and were constantly smiling.

Can you describe Zach’s character and personality? What was he like?

Zach was the most motivated, thoughtful, big-hearted man I have ever met. I don’t think he had one enemy out there and everyone loved him. I think Zach touched everyone that he met. He was always upbeat and optimistic. I don’t remember him having one day that he wasn’t just thankful to be alive. He [had] played football since he was little and it was his passion. He wanted to be the hardest working guy out there and never wanted to let anyone down. He could make anyone laugh and everyone around him always had a smile on their face.

You mentioned that his story has become misunderstood. What is the real story of Zach Shaver?

Zach and I had gone to Corpus Christi for spring break with some of my friends who lived there. Zach met my family and friends when we stopped in San Antonio for a night or two. The weekend after spring break, Zach and I were supposed to go up to Wichita Falls after the spring ball game on March 26, 2010 so that I could meet his mom, little sister and his friends from home. I was supposed to attend the game with him, but when he woke up around 9 or 10 a.m. he told me just to go back to sleep, packed us a bag and he would be back in a few hours so we could head to Wichita Falls. I can’t remember the time exactly, but I woke up to a phone call that I will never forget. Cory Jackson (our best friend) told me that Zach collapsed on the field, right on the block T. I started to freak out as he told me to stay calm, that it might just be a full body cramp. (Cory is the most loyal, trustworthy person and I couldn’t have gotten through this whole experience without him, or our RL Mica Williams and her boyfriend – now husband – Justin Daleiden). Cory then told me to just stay in the dorm while he, Matt and Cole drove to the hospital in Fort Worth where Zach had been Care Flighted. There was no way I was going to sit there and not know what was going on, so Cory agreed to let me go with them.

“It was the worst sight, seeing the strongest man that I knew laying in a hospital bed with tubes and cords everywhere.”

We were the first of friends and family to arrive to the hospital, and our case worker told us that he was in surgery having part of his skull removed to ease the swelling. Cory did not cry once even though I knew he wanted to, but he stayed strong for me the whole time. After his family arrived and the surgery was completed, they let his parents and sister go in the room. The doctors said that he said a few words but not much. I will never forget his little sister running out of that room.

They moved him up to a trauma ICU floor. He was admitted on March 26, and passed away March 29. Those three nights and four days were probably the hardest thing I have ever dealt with, and were the worst days of my life. The first two nights I don’t think any of us slept. His whole family was there, along with friends from home and friends from TSU. We slept on hospital floors and uncomfortable chairs, if we slept at all.

The entire time we were there it was a roller coaster. If I remember correctly, your brain pressure is supposed to be around 15. Zach’s would fluctuate from 10 to 60, 60 to 20, 20 to 90, etc. It was the worst sight, seeing the strongest man that I knew laying in a hospital bed with tubes and cords everywhere.

March 29, 2010, Coach Fowler [gathered all of us] in the hotel lobby, where we were trying to distract ourselves, and told us that we needed to come up, and it was not good. One of his friends from home pulled me into the bathroom and told me that Zach had no brain function and they were going to keep him on a ventilator to harvest his organs, as he was an organ donor.

How did Zach’s passing affect you personally? How did it affect his family, friends and team?

Zach’s passing broke my heart into a million pieces. We used to say that fate brought us together, but I guess it was fate that he was taken away. I was depressed for a long time and sought therapy for it, which helped me out so much. I just couldn’t believe that God took him away from me and everyone else. At first I didn’t believe that this had actually happened to me and that he was gone forever. After that, I was just mad at everything. Why was the best, most inspiring, beautiful souled man I had ever met taken away so suddenly? The months with Zach were the happiest of my life, even up to this day.

His friends, family and team took it hard as well. His high school teachers, coaches and teammates were devastated. I know it must have been the hardest on his mom and his little sister, and I still pray for them everyday. They started a scholarship fund in his name that gives a scholarship to a high school athlete.

What is something you learned from Zach that you hope to carry with you throughout your life?

Zach taught me what true happiness is. He taught me motivation and gave me strength. I try to be optimistic for Zach, even though it is hard at times. He taught and gave me so much that I will never, ever forget.

What would you say is your most treasured memory of him?

I can’t just pick one. Every moment with Zach is my most treasured memory. Our spring break week in Corpus really brought us together even more and was so much fun. All of those nights and days in the dorm where life was easy and perfect with him, I will treasure forever.

How do you think Tarleton students would benefit from learning about Zach’s story?

It hurts my feelings that a lot of the younger students have never heard of him. I wish everyone could have gotten the chance to know him because he was a beautiful person. I think his story should make them want to treat others with respect and not to take anything for granted. Zach saved multiple lives that day because he was an organ donor.

Is there anything else you’d like to mention about Zach?

The week before Zach passed, a senior football player, Jacob Rowe, came into his room while he and I were studying. Jacob was going to see another football player down the hall, but they weren’t home, so he saw that Zach’s door was open. He asked us if we had accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and [if we] knew we were going to heaven. Zach had so many questions after Jacob left, and we went to Peacocks and talked. He went to talk to one of our good friends, Jackson Crawley, about it and told him that he did accept. It was just weird that this was the week before he passed.

“He asked us if we had accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and [if we] knew we were going to heaven… It was just weird that this was the week before he passed.”

Shaver’s passing was a hard hit for the Texan family, but his legacy, with the help of his friends, family, coaches and teammates, will continue to impact Tarleton for years to come.