Oklahoma teen’s legacy endures that Jesus is better

Above: Zach Doran, center, stands beside his parents, Jason and Tami, and the rest of his family in November 2023. Photo by Ron Lane.

This article was originally written by Scott Barkley and published to Baptist Press.

MUSTANG (BP) – It was a Sunday, and Jason Doran really wanted to talk to his son.

Zach Doran, 18, had been with other students of Together We Church in Yukon, Okla., as part of Big Weekend, a discipleship event that includes overnight host homes and goes by various names among churches.

Like his two older brothers, Zach played football for the Mustang High School Broncos with Jason as one of the coaches. On the previous Thursday, he had stopped by his dad’s office. Jason wasn’t there at the time, but Zach dropped off a drink from Sonic – Route 44 Strawberry Limeade, Jason’s favorite – and a note.

Dad, don’t forget the reason you coach, it said. Be a difference maker and change lives! Love, Zach. Then, See you at Bible study tonight.

One of those kids who looked capable of accomplishing anything in life, Zach had been talking with Jason about his future. Mixed Martial Arts had become Zach’s passion, and he was training for his first official match that spring. But he was also sensing a call to ministry.

“I told him I would support him, no matter what,” Jason told Baptist Press. “Zach was very bold in everything he did and didn’t care what others thought about him. If there was a kid sitting by himself at the lunch table, Zach was the guy who went over to sit with him. He had a gift of leadership and kids flocked to him.”

That last Sunday of Big Weekend, March 3, 2024, Zach attended the second service with other students instead of earlier with his parents, like usual. He caught up with Jason in the church lobby afterwards.

“He was still so excited about the weekend and told me how fun it was, getting to praise Jesus and see others come to Christ,” said Jason. “He shared his faith with people and loved seeing others get saved.”

Jason and his wife, Tami, had closed on a house two days earlier. Zach promised to come by and help move things in after his MMA practice that afternoon. They were about to part when Jason felt a nudge to do one more thing.

“I gave him a hug, kissed him on the cheek and said, ‘Man, I love you and I’m proud of you,’” Jason remembered. “He said, ‘I love you, too.’ Then he walked out.”

It would be their final conversation.

A complete life

At some point during his MMA practice, Zach Doran had a heart attack. A specific reason has never been found. It led to 10 days of prayer vigils at his hospital by those in Mustang and Yukon, both west of Oklahoma City. Zach never regained consciousness and died at 10:57 p.m. on March 13.

Together We Church in Yukon, where the Dorans are members and Zach was active in the student ministry, hosted his Celebration of Life service on March 16. In addition to a packed sanctuary, online viewers included those in other states and countries. More than 20 people gave their lives to Christ.

Seven of Zach’s organs went to others. A nurse told Tami that a scan showed his heart to be “beautiful” with no damage. His lungs now provide the air for Ohio pastor Tom Leach’s sermons every Sunday.

The number was significant for Zach’s parents upon hearing it.

“Jason and I kind of looked at each other and said, ‘Seven?’” Tami said in a video about her son. “Zachary wore the number seven [on his football jersey] to remind himself that seven was the number of completion in the Bible. We felt like that was God being with us, saying that even though I’m not answering your prayer in bringing Zach back to you … with Zach’s organ donations, we’re going to be able to save other lives.”

Perhaps Zach could’ve been saved if the gym where he collapsed had an automated external defibrillator (AED). Jason has since become a vocal advocate for legislation requiring all gyms to have one. State Representative Brian Hill filed HB2379, the Doran Act, this year for that purpose.

Little sidekick

Zach was the youngest of five siblings. Yes, he was the baby and received that treatment, but it didn’t make him soft.

“Yes, everyone doted on him, but he was probably the toughest of them,” said Tami. “He was witty and always had a comeback. He was smart and funny, always doing something to put a smile on your face.”

That last trait sometimes came at the wrong time. He was a teenager, after all, and was prone to the same adolescent boneheadedness that requires correction. Once, Zach found a willing audience for what he felt were funny antics in class during finals in high school and continued to be a disruption. It brought a phone call to home.

Football coach dads don’t receive those calls well. Jason gave him two choices, starting with one that had long been established. Zach quickly chose the unnamed second one.

Since his son had been acting like a clown, Zach was sent to “clown school,” which was doing a collection of somersaults and cartwheels near their cul-de-sac until the message was received. The other coaches heard about it and sent a made-up Barnum-and-Bailey-type certificate congratulating Zach on his graduation.

Tami saw that silly side a good bit. A dance party between the two could break out at any time. There was zero hesitation from “Uncle Zachy” when one of his nieces asked him to play dress-up, like he did at his own 18^th birthday party, wearing a 3-year-old’s costume as Belle from Beauty and the Beast.

“He was my little sidekick,” said Tami, who teaches second grade at Lakeoma Elementary School where her son was no stranger. “Zach had a confidence that didn’t go into arrogance.

“He just wanted to make others happy.”

Teammates, rivals, friends

Caston “Bear” Meadows was one of Zach’s best friends. It began in youth football on the fields recently renamed in Zach’s honor. It grew as rivals at different middle schools, then finished through their seasons together at Mustang High.

Zach wore No. 3 on his jersey, as the third Doran boy to pass through little league. Bear, a middle linebacker with a mean streak, made Oklahoma Sooner fans nostalgic with his 44 jersey. No mohawk, though.

On the 11U Dragons, Bear played most of the first half once with a broken thumb after making a tackle. Why?

“Zack and I never came off the field,” Bear said. “He told me I didn’t need to tell our dads, who were our coaches, and to just play through it.”

Another conversation on the field went much differently a few years later. Zach was the quarterback for Mustang Middle School; Bear played for Mustang North Middle. On a sweep to the sideline, Bear lit up his friend with a Bosworthy hit that drew a flag.

“He said he was out of bounds, but I didn’t think so,” Bear remembered. The moment could’ve made them enemies, but it only cemented their friendship and was brought up often through the years to laughs.

During their sophomore year, leaders from Trinity Baptist Church – since renamed Together We Church – began holding Bible studies after the football teams’ workouts. Zach and Andre Dollar, now a tight end for Washington State, were key leaders.

“Zach encouraged guys to get involved,” said Bear. “I wasn’t really big into church, but once he talked me into going, I could see how much it meant to him. His faith mattered to him and it kept getting stronger. We both grew in our faith.”

A giving heart

Eddie Miller is another coach at Mustang, but for 18 years has also worked as a special education teacher. One of the programs he oversees is Students Assisting Students, which pairs up volunteers with peers whose disabilities are characterized as severe to profound.

Zach had been a volunteer with Special Olympics and the Unified Dance, which celebrates those with special needs. His class schedule opened up his senior year to also be involved with SAS.

“I was really excited to see him in here,” said Miller. “We like to get leaders who also have a heart for the kids. They help with anything from fine motor skills to basic reading. His presence was big, because we don’t get a lot of males.”

Zach’s impact was instantaneous.

“I had a group he would work with, and there was one student in particular who connected with him. The kids grow through these relationships and it helps build their confidence.

“Zach wasn’t just a leader; he had a giving heart. You could see the difference he made on them, and vice versa. It was fun to watch because he was patient, but was also capable of teasing and cutting up with them. They did it right back, too. It was something special.”

Together We Church student pastor Anthony Vargas also saw the ministry’s impact.

“Zach was an outstanding kid and a natural leader,” he said. “Some great relationships were built with the football team, and it was great to see our student ministry influence Zach as well through it.”

Jesus is still better

The Big Weekend theme was “Jesus is Better.” Jason and Tami claimed that truth during the 10 days when their son clung to life in the hospital. They continued doing so after the funeral, when everyone else gets to go back to life but you have your own, new normal that you never asked for. There are good days, but also not-so-good.

They cling to the stories, both good and painful, and the ones that combine a little of both.

Zach began earning playing time and a starting role as a defensive back for Mustang as a sophomore, despite weighing only 155 pounds, soaking wet. His voice became one of the loudest in the locker room and set a tone, like it did to open his senior year against Southmoore High.

The teams had faced off in 7-on-7 drills that summer and were looking forward to playing again, this time in pads. Early in the game, after Southmoore opened with a touchdown, Zach came off the left edge to block a punt. He returned it from inside the 30 for a score. The moment was even more special as he immediately ran to celebrate with Jason on the sidelines. Mustang went on to win, 44-13.

In the third game, though, Zach went down with a neck injury in the final minute as the Broncos were trying to protect a late-game lead.

Mustang would win on a last-second field goal, but Zach had a fractured neck and a lack of feeling in his arm that would last 48 hours. Jason got to him and tried to get him off the field, but Zach stopped him.

“He said his teammates really needed him to give them an extra breather,” Jason said. They stayed until officials came up to say Zach either needed to move or help would be called out.

His football career over, Zach asked if he could address the team at their Thursday night dinner the following week, which was also the night before taking on rival Yukon High. It became The Speech, which is now part of the team’s weight room and will always urge his teammates to compete in the spirit of 2 Samuel 22:38-42.

Jason has spoken with numerous media outlets about Zach since March 2024. He wants it clear to them that the story is about his son’s legacy, witness and the relationship with his community.

“I wasn’t very good at receiving help, but I knew I needed it,” said Jason. “Everyone embraced us. We had almost 300 come to the hospital for a prayer circle. His youth group showed up with about 200. My older son is an Oklahoma City police officer, and all his buddies showed up.”

Tami was nervous about meeting Leach, the pastor who received her son’s lungs. After all, how does one prepare for something like that?

“I was scared I would just stare at him. I didn’t want to be weird about it,” she said. “But being the kind of people we are, we wrapped our arms around him and he became family.”

“When we were in the hospital with Zach, we had to surrender to God’s plan. Tom will always be a part of our story – of Zach’s story – and we will always be a part of his. Of course, I would choose to have my son with me. But through this, he saved Tom’s life.

“When people think of that and think of Zach, I hope they know how strongly he believed, truly, that Jesus is better.”