Zachary Killinger 2003 – 2015

Zachary Austin Killinger, 12, passed away December 29, 2015.

 

Funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 2, 2016 at Greenwood – Arlington Chapel, 1221 East Division Street at AT&T Way, Arlington, Texas 76011. Interment will be in Emerald Hills Memorial Park, Kennedale, Texas. {{more}}

 

Zachary Austin Killinger was born June 21, 2003 in Arlington, Texas to David and Michelle Killinger.

 

Zachary was a bright boy with a great sense of humor and wit beyond his age who loved trains, building things, collecting toys, Disney movies, and pretty girls! Those who love him describe his as “family, hilarious, sensitive, caring, sweet, genuine, animated, inquisitive, fun-loving, joyful, adventurous, thrill seeker, talkative, gleeful, charming, affectionate, tender, insightful and protective.” Above all, he was the bravest person his Mommy ever knew. Zachary was no stranger to grief, having lost his father and his eyesight in 2010.

 

A month after his father passed away, he was diagnosed with juvenile Batten disease, a genetically inherited neurological disease that causes the loss of all physical and cognitive functioning until death. This rare and terrible disease is always fatal. His family quickly realized time would be short and made the most of their time together on many wonderful and fun family trips. Zachary’s symptoms established a pattern of rapid and severe progression, resulting in his untimely death. On Tuesday, December 29, 2015, our Lord called home his angel where his loving Daddy and our friend Dave was waiting.

 

Although his life was short, Zachary had many “angels on earth” caring for him and touched the lives of more people than most adults manage in a long lifetime. We are extremely grateful for Zachary and for the precious time we had with him. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Will Herndon Fund (through the Beyond Batten Disease Foundation, a 501c3 organization) supporting research to find a cure and treatments for juvenile Batten disease.

 

Donations may be made online at: https://beyondbatten.org/will-herndon-fund/zach-killinger/ or by mailing a check to Beyond Batten Disease Foundation, P.O. Box 50221, Austin, Texas 78763, 877-6BATTEN.

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Zachary was a student at James Arthur Intermediate. Last year the school held a dance and fundraiser for Zachary. You can read more at James

Arthur Intermediate