The Zach’s Bridge Auction is NOW OPEN Help us deliver connection and compassion when it’s needed most.
Donate
Instagram Linkedin-in Facebook-f
Menu

The Lego Motivation: A Lesson in Kindness

“I want to give them my Legos.”

That’s not a typical reaction from a thirteen-year-old boy. But for our son, Zach, it was an instantaneous reflex.

I had just come home from work and shared that a colleague’s house had been damaged by fire. While the family was safe, the basement—and many of their children’s toys—had been lost. Before I could even finish the story, Zach was already heading for his lego stash. He didn’t ask if they needed them; he just knew he had something that could help, and he wanted them to have it.

A Spirit of Service

This wasn’t an isolated incident. Whether it was volunteering at a food pantry, building wooden toys for underprivileged kids, or visiting a senior living facility, Zach had a “spirit of volunteering” that seemed to be his default setting.

He lived by a set of principles we now call Zach’s Rules for Life. These weren’t just nice ideas; they were his operating system. He believed in moving with urgency because “life’s too short to wait,” and he taught us that even in the middle of a battle with cancer, the right choice is to “run toward” those who are hurting.

I’d like to think we had something to do with him thinking that way. But honestly? Zach always seemed to be this way. He was a teenager, of course—he struggled to share at times and firmly believed that some rules were meant more as “suggestions” for him than for others. But that spirit of kindness and the desire to help others is the legacy we want to carry forward.

And what does all of this have to do with cancer? Kindness and support of others in unimaginable circumstances is a linchpin in helping families facing any kind of cancer, just giving without even asking can be a powerful way to support people.

Join Us: Be Like Zach Day 2026

On May 3rd, 2026, Zach would have turned 21. To celebrate this milestone, we are officially holding Be Like Zach Day.

This isn’t just a day to remember him; it’s a day to act like him. We’re asking our community to take a “pause” from the noise of daily life and do something intentionally kind for someone else.

How you can participate:

  • Perform an Act of Kindness: Volunteer, check in on a friend, or help a neighbor. No gesture is too small.
  • Share the Spirit: Post your act of kindness on social media using #BeLikeZach to inspire others.
  • Support the Mission: In honor of Zach’s 21st birthday, consider a symbolic $21 donation to Zach’s Bridge.
Your support helps us grow the mission of Zach’s Bridge, providing vital peer-to-peer support for families navigating the unimaginable loss and grief of pediatric cancer.

Zach taught us that while grief gives you choices, you can choose to turn that grief into action.

This May 3rd, let’s choose kindness. Let’s choose compassion.

Participate in Be Like Zach Day. On May 3rd or any day.

Related News

Zach's Bridge logo
Donate
Instagram Linkedin-in Facebook-f