If you would like your memories of Zach posted here please send your thoughts to this email address:

zachs.memory@gmail.com

What you send can be a story, a poem, a description of time you spent together, an image even - whatever you would like to share with the rest of us folks.

(PS, IF you are on facebook there is also a Zach Marmar group page there.)

He will be missed by so many. He touched many people during his life. Zach, you are missed and you were and still are loved by everyone!

Emma Salguero - from Facebook - June 18, 2009

Zach - what a wonderful spirit, living life fully in all it's complexity. I remember ready hugs, a brilliant smile and such warmth and humor... you will be missed!

Star Lancaster - from Facebook - June 15, 2009

I am not quite sure when I first met Zachary David Marmar, my memory being what it is.  But I do remember an invitation to come to an early practice session of a start-up fire spinning group that was to become Pyroteknika.   When I first met him, I did not know what to make of Zach.  He was kind of quiet, but he had a ready smile and an intense interest in fire spinning.  Zach and Sonia Salguero were trying to get a group of young people to band together into an organized, professional, troupe.  It was like herding cats.  In time the group did manage to coalesce into a functioning unit.  For two years Zach’s energy helped to focus us (yes, I did become a fire spinner) and he was always there to wow the audience with some new piece of equipment or a new routine.

He was the leader and the most dedicated performer.  Only something very important or truly insurmountable would prevent Zach from doing a show.  In mid December 2008 we were to do a birthday show in Pomfret.  It had started snowing during the day and by the time evening fell so had considerable snow.  I was not sure if the show could go on, but Zach was going to give it a try.  So leaving my plow on my Trailblazer I headed to Galaxy Hill Road in Pomfret.

When I got to the start of Galaxy Hill I saw what looked like Zach’s little red car attempting the climb.  I suspected that the car would not make it as there was 3 to 4 inches of snow on the road.  I waited at the intersection and sure enough the red car came backing down the hill.  It was Zach, and as he got to where I was parked, he and I rolled down our windows to discuss the situation.  You could see the frustration on his face. When I told him that I would plow the road ahead of him, his eyes lit up and that big smile of his took over his face.

So up the hill I went, with Zach close behind. At the driveway to the house we found 6 to 7 inches of snow.  Zach waited patiently as I made several passes over the driveway so that he could get to the house.  A few minutes later we both were parked at the house.  When Zach got out of the car you could see the relief on his face and again his smile got very big.  Realizing what we had just done we hugged yelling, “We did it!” 

He and I set up the show while waiting for the others.  As it was still snowing, we had to cover the equipment and shovel snow out of the performance area.  The other spinners were late because they had to go back and get a four wheel drive car.  Zach could not wait and we started the show with out them.  The others arrived about fifteen minutes later and as I watched the group spinning fire in the snow I realized just how much energy and determination Zach had.  It was his sprit that had driven us to conquer the hurdles and put on a fire spinning show that few would soon forget.

This is only one example of Zach’s dedication to fire spinning.  He was a natural.  Time and space preclude the telling of all my adventures with Zach, but those who knew Zach well, will know what I mean. I will miss his never-ending desire to introduce something different and his prompting to try something new.  Thank you Zach, for putting the fire spinning spark in my heart.  I will never forget you.

Richard Lancaster – June 19, 2009