I call this chapter fun facts of how this autobiography happened. I hope you enjoy it and have fun with it. If you aren't religious, it's okay because it's still fun. If you are religious, enjoy it too and pass it on with secular and religious people you know. This can be an inspirational, spiritual, engaging, and fun chapter. Each chapter is a different message to the reader. I recommend reading all of those messages, but most do not miss the last one. I hope I get the chance to meet all of you someday, but if not, then we will see each other in the clouds with the true spiritual and inspirational man, Zach Sobiech.
My friends and family have helped and supported me in writing an autobiography, but one particular man had helped me tremendously. That man was Zach Sobiech. Call me crazy if you want, but there were many times that I did not want to continue writing, but Zach make sure I continued and finish it. I give credit to Zach for inspiring and help me to write those letters. There was a particular time that Zach recommends me to buy his mother's memoir book. I did not know precisely why he wanted me to buy the book. Perhaps to increase my vocabulary, maybe to inspire to write better stories with details on the events. But there was one reason that I want to share it. One of the chapters that Laura mentions were Zach went to Houston, Texas. I know Houston is well known for its medical center because I had surgery there. But reading that chapter, I realize that my idol was just one hour away from where I lived. I could have met him. Maybe I wouldn't know who he was at that time, but at least I could have seen him in person. I won't accept the truth. I will go with the lie that he never been to Houston because it is so easy to accept the lie than the truth (by the way, I did accept the fact eventually). I know, when I see him in the clouds, I would probably ask for his autograph and a selfie as well (if it's possible, of course). I know God had played a significant role in Zach's life and mine too. It's incredible how our both lives never met, but without God helping me picking that movie on that specific day, I would have met Zach. I know God has sent Zach to help me throughout all the autobiography, and the same goes with God helping me getting up every day and inspired me to write something new every day. I always thought I have finished writing until I receive more inspiration from Zach and God. I do not know when this inspiration will lead me to, but I know it will be great.
I wrote those private letters to Zach's family and friends because he told me to write something he wanted to say to them, and I wanted to add something too. I made it publicly because Zach's soul is with all of us, mostly in his family and friends. Whenever Zach teaches us, we remind ourselves that he and God are helping us practice Zach's wisdom. You see, Zach had taught me several things in life. My dad always tells me that I'm his friend, but I never understood why. I mean, he is my father, and I have to obey him, but a friend? I never understood it until I saw the friendship Zach had with his parents, siblings, and friends. I have great companies with siblings and friends, but I never value it until I saw Zach's life. Each of us has at least someone else's soul in us, helping us throughout our struggles and accomplishments. When Zach had told me to remind his family and friends that he is with them all the time, allowing them throughout their difficulties and achievements had I realize that my grandpa was supporting his daughter (my mother) when I had my last heart surgery. It was probably tricky that my mother had to go through that without knowing how the surgery will end, but she knew she wasn't alone. Her dad was supporting her too. The same goes for when I graduated high school. My grandpa's spirit was there celebrating my accomplishment with my family. I want to say our dead relatives or friends help us in our struggles and achievements that we face in life, but we just got to remind ourselves that we are not alone because they are there too without seeing them just feeling them.
As you already know, Zach inspired me to raise other awareness that came into my life and gives details to each awareness, so everyone knows its importance. Zach started raising awareness of people who have cancer through more information on how important cancer can affect someone's life and support them. He did all of this when he was terminal, and I could not raise awareness of people born with heart problems when my life is not terminal? I can sometimes be ashamed of myself for not doing something about it throughout all of those years. I'm so glad I got to meet Zach's life. Without him, I probably wouldn't do anything about it. I highly encourage everyone to raise awareness of something that happened to you. Maybe child abuse, alcoholism, drug addiction, or other things. I want to continue what Zach left off, and hopefully, you can continue where he left off as well.
If someone asked me if I wanted to go to heaven, I probably respond with, 'if I get to heaven, I will probably be happy, but if not, then it does not matter; it all depends on God's judgment and not mine.' Oh, my goodness, I'm so naive. After acknowledging Zach's life, I want to meet him personally, and the only way I can do that is to get to heaven. I mean, he is already there, and now it's my job to get there. I know if I ended up in hell or purgatory (it's a catholic belief), I probably won't meet him, so I'm going to try my darn best to get to heaven and finally meet him and thank him. I hope this helps you get to heaven, too, so we can all celebrate there.
Throughout my life, music has helped me to stay alive and helped me to do well in college, but a particular band named A Firm Handshake has enabled me to continue being alive and do much better in college than I already do. I cannot explain how many times I listen to them. I listen to their music when I'm showering, eating, walking, sleeping, studying, and any other daily activities. Throughout all of these writings, Zach and his band have helped me finish this through their music. I cannot and will not stop thanking them for helping me through their beautiful music, and hopefully, Zach can become a saint someday, and we all can see the process.
Yes, it's all true. Zach did help me closer to God. I knew I was close to Him but did not realize how far I was until I met Zach, his family, and friends. The beauty of friendship and support Zach had from his family and friends made me realize that I had that too, and I should appreciate it. Throughout my life, I thought friends come and go because of the experience I had with them. I know I have a few friends that I called best friends because we have been together throughout our lives, but most of my friends just come and goes. I thought it was a good definition of a friend until I heard Zach's friends and family's story. Then I realized my definition was completely wrong because a friend is someone who supports you through your struggles and accomplishments. It does not matter if you haven't seen them for a long time because they will always help you no matter what. His family and friends' difficulties had to go through when Zach had cancer and when he was terminal is unexplainable and remarkable. The challenges that my family has to go through when I was at the hospital for heart surgeries are inexplicable and extraordinary too. Zach's parents got closer to God when Zach was terminal is very inspiring because of all the prayers she prayed and finally accepted how Zach's life will end. Laura wanted Zach to be alive and have a successful life, but she did not understand why his lovable son was terminal. Yes, she was mad at God first, but when she finally accepted God's plan that He had with Zach without knowing what was His plan has acknowledged to me that Zach wanted to do a lot of things. One of them is raising awareness and inspiring people that we do not have to find out we are dying to start doing something about it or start living life or start pursuing our goals or start anything. Even his death did not stop him from being alive in all of us through his inspiration and teachings. My parents did not know why I was born with heart problems throughout my heart surgeries, but they did realize their faith got closer to God throughout my struggles, and they knew that they should trust God's plan without knowing it. Heck, I did not know God's plan in me until I met a healthy, unique, inspiring person named Zach Sobiech and his family and friends too.
For Zach's friends and family, I'm a stranger to them. They haven't met me yet and reading those letters that I send them can be strange. I mean, if a stranger told me my grandfather and my aunt is with me in my heart, supporting me through my struggles and achievements, I will creep out too. I will probably tell that stranger if they are okay and feeling well because they know that I have a decease grandpa and aunt. I know I'm not the only one in the world with two dead relatives, and I guess Zach being well known has helped me reach his friends and family. I know we all have different paths to get to heaven, but I think this is mine. I never realized this is my path to get to the clouds throughout writing this autobiography until Zach has helped me know it at the end of these stories. According to Justin Baldoni, he quoted in Laura's book, "I believe that Zach is just getting started; that is only the beginning." I know for sure Zach's effects or miracles have just started through many of us, and I'm glad that I'm one of them. I always thought, why did God send Zach to help me with my life, and I just realized he helped me get to heaven to meet him and help others get there too personally. I will never forget you and remind others of my true hero as I thank you, and I will always thank you, Zachary David Sobiech. See you soon, and I promise I will not screw up!
According to Justin Baldoni, the director of the movie "Clouds," who worked with Zach Sobiech through it all, there is this thing called the Zach Effect in which I also believe. Justin started saying this when he felt Zach helped him making the movie 'Clouds,' but Justin wasn't the only one. Zach also helped the actors and actresses as well. Now, I want to mention that throughout this autobiography and other things that Zach helped me, there is one more thing I want to say. I started writing this on January 1st, 2021, two days after I watched Zach's movie. Throughout January and one week of February, I took a five-week class called Intro to Political Science. In this class, I had to write many short essays from tests and quizzes. I never knew how easy it was for me to write those essays until I saw how Zach helped me. I do believe Zach helped me to see clearly what to write without panicking or freezing. Throughout this semester, I was writing this autobiography whenever I had time to do so. I probably would have never gotten my A in this class without the help from Zach. I have taken two five-week courses before, but I only earned a B in those classes. Here is one more time...Thank You... Zach... Sobiech. I know Zach will always continue helping me succeed well in my future courses. I know I am a good student in my classes, but I think Zach helps me become better. I might sound crazy, but I believe I am not the only one who has felt the Zach Effect. I also think Zach is helping his family and friends succeeding in whatever they do.
Now, I would like to share a bible verse from Luke 15: 11-32. This bible verse is called The Parable of the Lost Son. I will make a quick summary of this story, and then I will mention how it involves me. There was a father that had two sons. This father also had servants, but only the sons had every food they want to eat and could wear any clothes they want to drink. One of the sons decided to leave his dad and chose to live life like he wanted to. This son started to drink a lot of alcohol and got involved with prostitution. This lost son was shame of what he did, and he decided to practice how to say to his father that he did not feel worthy of being called a son anymore and wanted to be treated like a servant that his father had. He practiced every day until the day came to see his father. When he got inside the house, one of the servants ran to the father to tell him that his lost son has come back. The father rushed quickly to greet his son, and then the lost son told his father that he should be called a son anymore and should be treated as a servant. The father hugged him and gave him a big celebration by cutting the fattest calf. Another server told the other son that his brother had come back and the father was going to celebrate by slashing the fattest calf, but rather to feel happy; he felt angry and jealous. This son told his father that the lost brother should not have a big celebration after the brother's cause by running away. The father told this son to be proud that his brother came and should celebrate with the family.
I might not be the son who got angry or jealous because he had everything he needed, but I'm the lost son. I never left my father, but there is one particular father that I did leave from. This father was the Father. As you already know, I was born catholic and was raised knowing who the Father was throughout my life. I had everything that I wanted. I could ask Him anything, and He probably would give it to me if He wanted at the right time. When I migrated to the United States at the age of ten, I decided to leave Him and live my life how I wanted to, such as taking college classes that I wanted to, played video games, went to college parties, decided to do math all day, and other things. I was pretty happy with myself throughout those fifteen years, but then I decided to watch the movie 'Clouds,' which changed me completely. I did not know how Zach's life would change me until I looked at his life in detail. After learning how he lived his life after knowing he was terminal through some videos of him and the book that Laura wrote has gotten me a perspective that I should come back to my Father too. I did not know what to say to Him and felt the shame of not being called His son again. You see, Zach did not just help me write this autobiography but also gave me the strength to do it and giving me the power to be back to the Father through his music. When I was a teenager, I wrote about how awesome God is until I decided not to let Him use me to write about Him until I came back with this autobiography. I would have never guessed this autobiography would help me be back to the Father, but it did with Zach's little help, of course. I believe God sends Zach to help me get back to Him without knowing what will happen. You probably feel tired of keep thanking Zach for many things, but I got to thank him again for helping me get back on my feet and get back to Him. Zach, thank you, and I will never forget this parable.
Lastly, I want to examine two top songs from A Firm Handshake that helped make this autobiography and changed my life completely. These two songs are 'Clouds' by Zach Sobiech and 'Fix Me Up by Zach Sobiech & Sammy Brown.' In the song 'Clouds,' the first verse says, "I fell, down, down into this dark and lonely hole. There was no one there to care about me anymore. And I needed a way to climb and grab hold of the edge. You were sitting there holding a rope." This part reminds me of my dark story when I fell into a lonely hole, and I thought no one cared about me anymore, and I knew I needed a way to climb up, but I couldn't find it until all those friends, family, and musicians helped me to climb up while holding a rope. In this chorus, "And we'll go up, up, up. But I'll fly a little higher. Go up in the clouds because the view is a little nicer. Up here my dear. It won't be long now, it won't be long now," reminds me of my grandfather and aunt, though Zach's music and God lifting me, through of all those people that helped me. It also reminds me they are in the clouds waiting for me to get there, and I know it won't take long. That chorus repeatedly repeats throughout the song, reminding me to keep moving forward by living and helping people as much as possible. This part of the music, "Go up, up, up and everything will be just fine," reminds me to keep climbing upward without the need to worrying and/or other difficulties because everything will be just fine. Lastly, this part of the song, "And maybe someday I'll see you again. We'll float up in the clouds, and we'll never see the end," reminds me of my dead relatives and Zach that I will see them again by floating in the clouds and never see the end of all my accomplishments.
Here is the song 'Clouds' by Zach Sobiech:
The song 'Fix Me Up' reminds me in many ways. In this part of the chorus, "Smile with me and cry with me. I won't ever tell a soul. Hold my hand. I'll squeeze it back. And I'll never let go," reminds me of God through Zach helping me finish this autobiography with all of the smiles and crying moments I had through these writings. It also reminds me of them holding and squeezing my hands to be stronger and continuing this autobiography's progress by never letting me do it by myself because I knew I could not do it without them. Now, this part of the song, "Never give up, never look back. I won't give up I'll keep on trying. Dry your tears up, all your crying," reminds me to dry all of my tears when I cried some parts of this autobiography and never give up nor look back of regretting of doing these writings as I say I will never give up and will always keep on trying to move forward. Sometimes I forget the purpose of life, but when I listen to this part of the song, "And you can show me what it means to have a purpose. And I'll tell you again," it reminds me of God through Zach telling me the purpose of life over and over again. This part of the song, "Don't you lose hope the sky's not falling. Please just listen 'cause I'll be calling. Stay with me just one more moment. I know you're in pain, just please don't show it," reminds me of all the sufferings that I had throughout my life by never lose hope nor stop listening to His calling and most importantly never show the pain that I had throughout my life because I know He took that away from me a long time ago. Lastly, this part of the song, "One more moment, please. It's too late I'm afraid I have to leave. Promise me, promise me that you'll...," reminds me of the times that I have to fight my battles alone throughout my life with the only help from Him and no one else and throughout these writings without the need of anyone's help except Him. I will promise I will never give up or look back by never regretting all my successes that I made throughout my life and helping people as much as I can in many ways.
Here is the song 'Fix Me Up' by Zach Sobiech and Sammy Brown:
If you made it this far, I would thank you. I promise I will continue writing a new autobiography as my life continues. I also promise this is the last message I want to say. As a student, I was always afraid of taking tests because getting tested on everything I have learned can be scary. Whenever tests were around the corner, I still doubt myself by saying, what if I did not study enough? What if I failed? This does not mean I did not understand the subject, or am I just dumb, and so on. Every semester I was afraid of tests, and every time I finished the semester, I was tired until another semester was around the corner. Just recently, I discovered why not enjoy the tests. Is it possible? See, if you and I pick our most interesting major to study then, the class should be fun and tests too. Tests should not be how much you have studied or how much you know the subject; what did you learn from taking the class/test. I started enjoying tests and always cannot wait for the next test with this point of view. If we pick our major because it gets paid more or better, we miss the point. The point is to enjoy it and have fun because we do not know how long we will live on this planet. Another point is if you drive every day then enjoy it. I agree that traffic sucks, but if we enjoy driving, we will become happier and enjoy life better. The same goes for any other transportation services. If we all try to enjoy life in any way we do, then we will become happier and have a positive attitude towards people around us. We do not know how other people feel, so being positive can help them survive longer. I do understand that life sometimes sucks, but sometimes it does not. You may be asking why I did underline the word sometimes is because that word is the keyword. If we all smile at people around us, we just helped them be alive and enjoy life. We will never know what people are struggling with unless they tell us, so smile at them as much as possible, even if it is difficult sometimes.
Before you go, I recommend you to try to go to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in December of each year to Mall of America and be part of the incredible crowd that KS95 forms. If you cannot make it, please watch videos of them. Even you can make it or not, please share the video as much as you can.
This is a short 4-minute video of the largest choir by KS95 remembering the song Clouds by Zach Sobiech:
Here is also a 4-minute video of celebrities singing Zach's song that Zach had a chance to see: