We interact with people almost every day, and sometimes that magic connection between two people just appears out of nowhere. You don’t know why or how, you just know that you vibe with someone. That was my first impression of my dear friend Zach. He was warm and kind, but also bougie and sassy. The combination of a big, welcoming heart with a slight delusion that everyone can afford Hermès and fly private absolutely awed me. At the time, I was quite depressed and mostly walking around in basic clothing and Birkenstocks – an odd match to him. Looking back, it is clear why we became so close: we were unapologetically ourselves and we deeply respected each other’s choices.
Zach was only 18 when I met him, fresh out of boarding school, but his experiences and his thoughts were rich. “Don’t be sorry, be better,” he always said. It is such a simple yet powerful message. What did he really mean by that? That is what this story is about.
The story of Zach
Zach lived a life full of challenges, but also full of love. We met in law school, where we spent almost every waking minute together. He was smart and maybe a bit restless, but everything seemed to fall into place for him. He was made for law, and there was never any doubt in my mind that he would become incredibly successful after graduation.
One day, we had a negotiation assignment together, something we had done many times before. I realised quickly that something was not right. Zach just repeated the same sentence over and over again. After the assignment, I asked him if he was okay and he answered, “Yes, that went well.” But something was clearly wrong.
A few days later, Zach called me and said, “Okay, so I went to the doctor and I have brain cancer, that’s why I’ve been so retarded.” He delivered the worst news of his life with a joke. Classic Zach.
The years that followed were filled with radiation, surgeries, and countless hospital visits. He had to pause his studies, but he always went back between treatments. In 2021, we lived about 15 200 km away from each other, but we kept in touch as well as we could.
In December 2023, we finally saw each other again. Zach had stage 2, untreatable brain cancer, but he was still the happy and ambitious Zach I knew. He had started a legal AI company that was about to launch in the coming months, he was back at law school to finalise his degree, and he had become an expert drone photographer. I was so happy for him, and we made plans to meet again in Europe in the summer.
But the cancer had other plans. Just a few days after I travelled back home, Zach became very ill and the brain tumour started growing at a frightening pace. In September that same year, the doctors told him he had only weeks, maybe months, left. I jumped on a 24‑hour flight to see him, but he passed away before I arrived.
Zach only had 26 years on this earth. But he truly lived. He squeezed everything he could out of every opportunity and every minute he was given.
After Zach left this world, he had the most incredible funeral. There was his favourite champagne, fireworks in his favourite colour, at his favourite rooftop bar. It felt like he was there with us, celebrating his life filled with love and happiness. And most importantly, he got his law degree – the one he had been longing for since the first day I met him.
Don’t be sorry, be better
Zach taught me a lot. He taught me that no matter what happens, you should never give up. He also taught me that I should not wear Birkenstocks to a highly prestigious university… or to mansion parties.
Most importantly, he taught me: don’t be sorry, be better. If you make a mistake, hurt someone, or do something that does not feel right, your apology is just the beginning. What truly matters is what you do next. Try to do better next time. Always try to do better. No one and nothing is perfect; the only thing we can control is our willingness to grow.
This has become a motto I live by every day, and it is also at the core of doodop. We will make mistakes sometimes. But it is how we make things right and what we learn from it that makes us better. Better people. Better businesses. A better world.
Zach had untreatable cancer but still kept growing, learning and stayed kind. So are there any excuses to anyone to not try to be better everyday?
Thank you, Zach, for your wisdom, your kindness, and your love. You are honoured, and you are at the core of this business. I miss you.
