In a field of heather on top of Ben Aigan in Scotland. Summer 2021.

Zach atop a mountain on Isle of Skye. Summer 2021.

Zach took charge of the whole group on the way home this past summer when JD decided to stay on in Scotland. He guided six rowdy teenagers through international customs and got them all home safely. 

High atop the Faerie Glen on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.

Running the log splitter, after he learned to appreciate how hard it is to chop wood. :)

Aunt Jordan took this on a trip to Florida in Summer 2005. 

Zach, Lexi and (I believe) Payton. Not sure where or when this photo was taken but everyone looks so happy. 

When we were in high school, Zach was well-known by me and my friends for two reasons. First, we knew Zach through one of his sisters. Payton loves Zach with that special love reserved for people who have a sibling in the same grade as them; a love for a person about whom your classmates are always saying "Wow! I have a class with your brother! You're a triplet!?" While I imagine that can get annoying, Payton still loves talking about her siblings. Because of Payton's great love for her family, we knew Zach as a person with an excellent sense of humor, keen intellect, and amazing video game skills.
This helps explain the second reason that Zach was prolific to me and my friends. Even as a high schooler, Zach was already a skilled programmer and game developer. When Payton introduced me to his iPhone game called "Vexatious," I was immediately hooked. The game has a vibrant color scheme and unique mechanics. It was also really difficult. A friend and I competed to beat one another's high scores. I realized I probably needed to take a break from playing it constantly when I started dreaming about Vexatious. Fortunately, Zach had already developed another game ("Snapped!") and was working on more. I didn't even mind watching advertisements on his games (though I normally do); I wanted whatever .00001 cent revenue to go to him.
Zach's passing is a great loss to everyone who knew him--even people like me, who mostly lived in the orbit of his talent and cleverness. Because more than being a skilled developer or an impressive CS:GO player (though these are amazing and key parts of him), Zach was fiercely loved by his family and will be deeply missed by all.

Zach gave a tour of UTD to my mom and me (Payton)! We made a quick stop to go get Quincy, who was asleep. We then saw the campus bunnies and Zach showed us his main spots on campus. 

Aunt Jordan, Nana Lee, Mom, JD, Quincy, Payton, Teddy, and Zach at the Natural Bridge Caverns!

With the Cousins + grandma on fourth of July 

Zach was Bo's favorite person (next to our mom)! 

Zach, his mom, his Auntie Jordan, and his cousin JD in New York

Quincy, mom, Payton, and Zach in Costa Rica!

A photo of our beloved Uncle Keith, dad, and Airedale pushing us in a stroller.  This was clearly quite a spectacle! Also, Uncle Keith and uncle Burnie are definitely our coolest uncles! (Sorry, to our uncle David who is a very close second) 

You can’t see, but Zach is feeding a chipmunk

Zach and his cousins and their friends about to embark to Scotland! I approve of his outfit here. 

Zach’s mom’s side of the family on Thanksgiving 

Bowie High School graduation. We took an Uber there but there was so much traffic we got out and went by foot

Zach’s mom’s side of the family at thanksgiving! 

Our grandma Nana Lee got Zach a Thomas the Tank engine because it was his favorite when we were little. He’s petting our dog Bo. Zach was Bo’s favorite person. 

You are going to be missed.   We love you so much.

I met Zach the same way as many here did. Through a game of Counter-Strike. In a short period of time, he went on from being someone that I just casually gamed with, to becoming one of my best friends.

I absolutely loved the curiosity that he would show in learning more about me, at each and every time we talked.
Either with it being him asking what my favorite movies were, to him asking questions about my home country, cultural differences, and several other subjects. He really wanted to know you, you know? Without a shadow of a doubt, he was the most genuine and caring person I have ever met. 

He was introduced to me during one of the toughest moments in my life, and he made sure that I knew I could always count on him, no matter what. I will forever miss our silly conversations, the silly random texts that he would send me at 4 A.M, to discuss whether free will is a thing or not, shining a light on my long work days. I will forever miss the sound of his laugh, and how contagious it was, bringing the best out of everyone around him.

To Zach. In the end, I wish I was there for you as much as you were there for me in my moments of need. Thank you, not only for that, but for all the memories that
you were able to give me, in a little bit less than two years of friendship. I will always carry you with me, my friend. In a short period of time, you were able to mark my life,
in a way very few people were ever able to, with way more time.

 I will always remember you as kind of my little brother, with all of your questions on how to do certain things, to all the situational questions that you would come up with, to see how I would do things, to try and take some knowledge from me. But you had no idea that there was so much more I could have learned from you, than you could ever learn from me. Rest easy, my friend. I know you are up there somewhere, looking down upon all of us, and I know I will see you again.

That smile! 
Mark, Zachary is so clearly your son. 
There's a picture from years ago and y'all are wearing your orange UT shirts - that's my favorite.
Heidi & I are keeping you and your entire family in our prayers.  We don't know what it looks like - but we wish you hope & healing when you’re ready.
- Reid & Heidi Rasmussen

Zach knew how to put a smile on everybody’s face even if it was the first time meeting somebody new. 
There were countless nights where I wasn’t feeling good and he would call me repeatedly until I would answer to make sure I was okay. Whenever I was having a bad day, he did everything he could to make me laugh. I would be in discord alone for hours and he’d notice and would always join because he didn’t want me to be alone. I would play a single player video game and would stream it so he could watch and he would give commentary on it the whole time. 
There was a long time where I wanted to beat a boss on hardcore minecraft and I failed every time. He watched every loss but he would always be encouraging but after several attempts over a few month span, he finally watched me beat it. He watched me beat it even though it was during when Texas had a mass power outage, he did everything he could to finally watch me complete it. He supported everyone he came across and made it his duty to genuinely know every single person. He brought people together everyday. There were nights I wasn’t in the mood to play but he would spam me with invites until I would join or there were nights when we would play together for hours and I’d be up at 4am but he would always convince me to stay for a couple more games. He had such an impact on everyone, I hope to see him again. He made it his duty to get to know every single person he came across and he would remember every small detail. He knew how to make everybody smile whenever they were upset or having a bad day. Rest easy, Zach. You are missed by everyone.


Where do I even begin, Zach was one of the kindest and funniest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. I met Zach on August 5, 2020, and he forever changed my life. He helped me through so much in my life, and was always there to listen to me vent about my life. He always did his best to cheer people up, and to make everyone laugh. He was the glue for our group of friends online, and he always brought everyone together. His laugh and smile was so contagious, even if I was in the worst of moods I could count on him to make me laugh. We had so many inside jokes, and I’ll never forget those. He was so kind to everyone he met, and he had this thing where he would ask everyone he met these silly random questions like: “What are your top 3 favorite movies”? Or ``What is your Disney Plus profile picture?”. It was so silly, but so awesome. He was so engaging to everyone, always made everyone feel so included. No game I play now will be the same without him. Nothing will be the same without him. He was such a caring and gentle soul, I truly adored him. I could never thank him enough for everything he did for me, and all of his friends. I will never forget all the late nights that I stayed up with him either talking for hours or gaming for hours. He always had a way of getting everyone to stay up for just a little bit longer. I want to extend my deepest condolences to his family, I can’t imagine the pain. The pain I feel for his loss is greater than anything I’ve felt before, and I had never even met him in person. Zach will always be in my heart, and I will never forget him. He touched so many lives, and he didn’t even know it. I just want his family to know how much Zach was loved and cared for, and how many lives he touched. I know the pain is unbearable, but we all have to be strong for Zach. I hope you’re resting easy, Zach. We all love and miss you so much! 

Would you know my name, if I saw you in heaven?

On his trip to Scotland last summer, Zach loved the falcons at a nearby rescue habitat. 

Once upon a time at my house in Alexandria, VA.
Love you both❤️

Zach loved roller coasters. So does Payton. Quincy…not so much. 

The kids and i were stranded together in Memphis, TN over either New Year’s Eve or day….I cannot remember,..but we ended up filling the day with a visit to Graceland and the Liberty bowl (Georgia vs UCF) where the halftime show was the Ojays who performed “Love Train” and “For the Love of Money”….it was an memorable moment….just so glad that i could say that i took the kids to Graceland,

This was when we were in Galveston with the Meaneys.  We had this huge house right on the beach during Covid. 

Zach, family and friends in 2018 at Breckinridge. 

Mark, 
I was so sorry to hear of your family's loss.  I know this is devastating.  I lost a sister early on in my life and know first hand the upheaval that happens in the family.  
You know you have lots of support and that can make a huge difference for you and your family.
My sincerest condolences to you all, Beth Ashmore

This could have been our 2nd trip with the Asgaris to FL…Zach really jumped for joy on this one.

I love this picture of Zach…he is just glowing….another Florida panhandle picture.

Zach getting some lessons from Sloan Ibanez during spring break at Mike Ibanez’s Uncle’s ranch in South Texas.

Zach loved roller coasters…on this trip to Disney World we made the mistake of going during Christmas…it was super crowded…who goes to Disney for Christmas??

Every year that we went to meet with the Asgaris in Florida we would stop for a night in NOLA….I would make them sit at the same bench that they did the prior year and pose for me.  They hated doing it, but I am as stubborn as Zach is.

Our 2nd trip to Breck (this time with the Horners) had a quick overnight stop to Mount Rushmore….I know Zach liked this picture…he felt it was pretty original. 

I think he really was happy when we was either on the mountain or the beach,

Our last ski trip to Breck in Dec ‘21….it was my 21st birthday gift to him.  We had a great time skiing together.

I love this picture that Michelle Eddy took…kind of captured their personalities at the time.

OBITUARY

Zachary Texas Bellman

December 5, 2000 – March 11, 2022

Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home & Hillcrest Mausoleum & Memorial Park

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