It was both a sad and a celebratory event at the Quappe’s residence last Saturday (25) to commemorate the very full but so short life of a young man so loved by everyone who came in contact with him. Once you have met Zak you will never forget him.

Chuck and Barrie Quappe are personal friends of mine and both their daughter Teri and their son, Zak, have appeared in a number of plays I have both written and directed at The Prospect Playhouse. Zak became a ‘star’ in his own right when he played the part of the young boy in Watler’s War who carried a kite that became an integral part in the play.

His dry humour and cheerfulness affected all of us who were part of the play. His only gripe was with the ladder he had to climb up to go into the water tower. He told me he thought the ladder was “unsafe”. The next day when I asked him if he was uncomfortable in climbing it, thinking perhaps he had a problem with heights, he said the ladder was “OK now. I’ve fixed it.” What he did I do not know but I am one for the easy life and did not investigate further.

When my wife, Joan and I arrived for the Celebration we were greeted with nearly everyone wearing red shirts and some had the name “Zak’s Security” written on the back of them. Both of us wondered what that was all about. During the celebration we found out that ‘red’ was Zak’s favourite colour.

Zak had lost his life tragically in the early morning hours on Saturday 18^th May when he lost control of the Ford Taurus he was driving and hit a concrete column near Sand Cay condominiums on South Church Street. The police have said speed was involved and another car is alleged to have been racing with Zak’s car. It too crashed but the two occupants were not badly injured.

There were well over a hundred persons present at the Celebration comprising members of the Quappe, Bergstrom and Soto families, with many having flown in from all over the world. There were also many family friends that included a host of Zak’s young adult friends, too.

We were treated to a montage of photographs of Zak from his very early years and right up to date when he became a pilot and a flight instructor. Because of that, as the celebration commenced there was an Honorary Fly By from the Cayman Flying Club.

Tributes were read by Sheree Ebanks, Karie Bergstrom, Suzy Soto and Dorry Tooker with personal tributes from Zak’s best friend NJ Miller and his sister, Teri’s, tribute. All the tributes showed Zak’s charming wit and his will to help family, friends, and even strangers alike wherever he could. He carried a suitcase full of tools just in case there was a need and precious little else whenever he went away on a trip abroad.

Zak’s father, Chuck, gave his address and confessed he was joking only to hide his pain. He said his wife, Barrie, and he had wondered how they could find some good that might come out of this tragedy. After much thought they had decided to try and get all young people to make a pledge that they would “Choose Life” and not put their parents, family and friends through the terrible pain and suffering they were now bearing by doing something that was selfishly and senselessly dangerous, and could ultimately lead into lives being lost.

Whilst the Chuck and Barrie composition, “Silver Wings” was playing (adapted in honour of Zak and pre-recorded) every young adult present lined up to sign the pledge to “Choose Life” and Barrie gave them a red candle that they lit themselves. They were now Zak’s Security.

Zak Maun Quappe’s Life Story

Zak Maun Quappe was born on 3rd May 1992 at George Town Hospital, Grand Cayman.  At the time, the family lived in North Sound Estates and drove their Ford Bronco truck to the hospital.  Their daughter, Teri, had to be dropped off at their sister Sheree’s house in South Sound and the labour pains were well underway.   Chuck did not want to speed but Barrie was saying, “We don’t have much time!”   Zak was eager to enter this world and, after arriving at the hospital, he was born a short time later.

At 2 years of age, the family left Cayman for Wisconsin so that Barrie could study to become a nurse.  During this time, Zak learned to ski and couldn’t let go of  “Thomas the Tank Engine” and Reese’s peanut butter chocolate cups!  He also loved building model rockets and thus started his love of fireworks.   One day while Mom was in college, Teri scooped her brother up and ran away on a big adventure, spiraling the parents into a panic.  The kids were found a couple of blocks away in a candy store!

Zak attended a Montessori school and already started charming his way into people’s hearts.  A volunteer at the school watched over the young Zak as if her were her own grandson.   For a short time, the family moved to Menasha, Wisconsin near sister, Karie, and the Bergstrom cousins.

The family moved back to Grand Cayman in 1999 and Zak entered his mother’s   alma mater, Cayman Prep School, where he and Ned Jerris Miller (“N.J.”) became lifelong chums.  Birthdays at The Sailing Club at the end of Selkirk Drive included sailing boats made of sea grape leaf sails and coconut husk bases. The two boys shared a love for engines and ended up at the North Sound Race Track, racing go-carts every Sunday. Cousin, Kody Bergstrom, joined them for one season and the Cracked Conch sponsored them, loaning the restaurant’s catering truck to haul the carts to and from the track.   NJ’s Dad, Jerris Miller, also introduced the boys to sailing and every New Years would take the two out on his big sailing boat to show them the ropes  – literally.   Teri and Zak would join the sailing camps during summer, filling the season with lithe “bathtub boat” races and eventually going to Picos. The two siblings road their bikes to the club, dodging gangs of dogs on a regular basis!

Chuck and Barrie introduced both children to the Fine Arts by performing in theatre   shows at The Prospect Playhouse.  Zak became a cast member in the Cayman Drama Society’s production of The Wizard of Oz and, as recently as 5 years ago, had a speaking part in the Colin Wilson play Watler’s War.

Eventually, the two children were allowed to travel to visit their New York family by themselves.   On these special visits, they spent time with their New York cousins, Clint and Natalie  – riding bikes and doing lemonade stands.  This time would become a precious gift when their Uncle Lincoln, a New York City Rescue 2 fireman, was killed in the terrible tragedy of 9/11. The Cayman family stayed in New York until their brother was found and then the Cayman community brought Link’s fellow firemen to Cayman.  This was a tough time for all.

The Bergstrom tradition every October, was to go to Garlic Island for duck hunting with the boys. Zak joined uncle Kris, Kody and Matthew on one of these trips and learned gun safety from his uncle Wally.

Later, Zak attended St. Ignatius Catholic School and after Hurricane Ivan, was home-schooled for a year.  He then started at Cayman International School  (CIS), graduating in 2010.  During his time at CIS, he was always handed a new instrument   to play – exposing the musical talents he inherited from his father.   The tuba could barely fit in his Terrell!  After a couple of weeks, he traded it in for his father’s trombone.   There was even a time that he was tutored on the drums by Charles Ebanks – yet another person who fell for Zak’s warm, genuine personality and discovered his love for cars. Charles, too, was a car buff and had a stunning model car collection, the entirety of which he gave to Zak.

While growing up in Cayman, Zak spent a lot of time with his family and, in addition to his passion for cars; he developed a love for aviation, incited by his two uncles  – Captain Harrison Bothwell and Captain Kris Bergstrom.   One evening at a gathering   with family and friends, it was discovered that Zak was programming the computer   flight simulator and plotting out flight paths to visit his family in New York.  He programmed it in real time in a small plane right before bed and then rushed out the next morning asking,  “Did I make it to Grandma’s yet, Mom?”

Shortly after, Chuck and Barrie learned of a summer camp at Embry-Riddle   University on Daytona Beach, Florida where young adults could learn to fly from Lisa McTaggart, wife of drummer Mark.  At an early age, Zak attended the camp and returned each summer to gain his pilot’s licence.  He then excelled in aviation and completed his first solo flight at the tender age of 16.

At almost the same time, he developed a keen interest in vehicles.  At 12, he got his first job as an apprentice mechanic at Vamp Motors mentored by Mick Atteberry, who also ‘stole’ him over to Eurocar at one point.  Zak worked these jobs all throughout his school years.  A special mention must be made for the whole crew from Vamp Motors who surprised Zak one Christmas and gave him a car that had been condemned which he worked to rebuild from scratch.  As he made a little money at work, he would buy another part until he had his own Toyota Tercel working.   Suzy Soto (Omi) was so proud of her grandson’s achievement that she gave the Tercel a paint job in Zak’s favourite colour – bright red!  The only problem was that, at 15 years old, he wasn’t even old enough to get a driver’s licence.  Zak would beg his older family members to drive him in his car until he passed his driver’s test at the appropriate age.

Upon graduation from CIS, he worked full-time at Eurocar and part-time with Lions Productions assisting in show set-ups Meanwhile, his mentor Mick, persuaded   UCCI to bring in an accredited mechanic course from the UK and Zak invited his old friend NJ to take the course with him.  The practical work was facilitated at Tony’s Toys and neighbours Sharon and Tony often had visits from Zak with questions on car mechanics.   Zak excelled and attended the graduation ceremony at UCCI.

One day, he came home  – covered in car grease as usual – and asked his parents if he was too old to go back to school and become a pilot.  Suppressing a laugh, they assured him that a career change at 18 was just fine and Zak began his studies at ATP flight school in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.  He also spent some time in flight training   in New York, which gave him more time with Grandma Dorry, Grandpa Bruce and the rest of his New York family.   From time to time, Grandma would sneak out to the little airport to watch Zak fly.  He once told her that she didn’t have to do that and she responded that she was so proud of him and loved watching   him fly.  He eventually became a Certified Flight Instructor at Wayman Flight School, living first at Omi’s (Suzy) apartment and then joining his cousin Bobbie Bothwell.   The two young men shared a love for flying and booked a private plane for a weekend adventure in the Keys earlier this year!

When Zak returned home, he was offered a position at the Cayman Flying Club under the mentorship of Chief Pilot Jeff McGlashin.  After his sudden and tragic   passing on Saturday, Jeff wrote to Chuck and Barrie:  “No words can express condolences to you and your family.  I am truly at a loss of words.  Zak was a bright, talented, gifted individual, and a damn good flight instructor.  Amongst his students, he was well respected and those who had the opportunity to fly with him enjoyed every minute of it!”

Zak had one of those personalities that people were simply drawn to.  He touched   many in his various jobs, schools and travels with his parent’s band – from the Bahamas, the United States and back to the Cayman Islands. He was generous to a fault, often giving a friend in need the only couple of dollars he had with him at any given time.  Friends knew they could always trust and rely on him.  He had plans too, having booked a trip to Montana in August to help his cousin, Walter, on his farm.  Zak adored the open spaces that Montana allowed.   During his time there a few years ago, he met a tail wheel flight instructor. He told his parents, half joking, that when he leaves for Montana, he might not come back!

Zak had a full life and had many more plans and we will treasure the short gift of his life with us forever.

END

A memorial fund is being established in honour of Zak to gather donations that will be utilized to support a young Caymanian to attend a flight summer camp at Embry-Riddle (or other appropriate programme). Please contact Karie Bergstrom or Sheree Ebanks if you wish to donate.

SILVER WINGS

Silver Wings

Shining in the Sunlight

Roaring engine

Headed somewhere in flight

They’re taking you away

And leaving us lonely

Silver Wings

Slowly fading out of sight

You’ve left us to cry

While you take that airplane ride

Don’t lock us out of your mind

While we stand here behind.

Your life was too short

Yet your memory will survive

That light you’ve left behind

For your final mustang ride.

Our darling Zak

On his last flight.