Zack Heger was born in 1992 and after developing normally until age 3, he began struggling with physical activities. He was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a neuromuscular disease that afflicts mostly boys and can be a genetic disorder carried by the mother, or in Zack’s case, a new mutation. 1 in 3500 male births are afflicted with this fatal disease.

Zack walked until age 9 and predictably was then sentenced to a wheelchair. He lived life to his fullest. Playing video games, watching History channel, studying cars and spending time with friends and family were his greatest joys.

Zack passed away May 3, 2022 after a long and brave battle with this horrible disease.

When the Zack Heger Foundation was founded, our initial fund-raising efforts went towards finding a cure and/or treatment for DMD. While we still feel strongly about these efforts, our focus has shifted towards a mission Zack held closely in his heart: helping others with disabilities live a fulfilling life. Our mission going forward will focus on raising funds dedicated to improve accessibility and inclusivity for ALL to activities, parks, and planes so a person with any disability can enjoy and participate without feeling the boundaries of their disability.

We plan to collaborate with foundations who share similar missions including the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism.

We continue to be grateful for your tax-deductible donations as well as generous gifts in kind for our auctions.

Please see ‘Events’ to learn what we are currently doing to help raise awareness to this important cause for not only those suffering from DMD, but from any condition that limits the ability to participate in life.

Respectfully,

Margie and Rodney Heger