By Doug Clark

Assistant Editor

It was just over a year ago that the promising life of 19-year-old Zachary B. Howell, a graduate of Hobbton High School, came to a tragic end.

Howell died from injuries he sustained in a single-vehicle accident on Saturday morning, Jan. 17, 2009.

“I will never forget that day,” said Howell’s mother Samantha. “Zachary ate biscuits with his younger brother, Austin, and then took him off to school, just like he did most mornings. It was the last time I saw him.”

According to the Wayne County Highway Patrol, Howell was a passenger in a 2008 Nissan Altima traveling east on N.C. 55 that overturned in a field approximately 6.5 miles away from Mount Olive. Law enforcement officials said at the time that the car came to rest after first running off the right side of the road and continued through a ditch and struck a utility pole before overturning, flipping approximately six times.

Friends were shocked at the news of Howell’s death, and a funeral that was held for the young man in Hobbton High’s gym drew some 1,200 people.

Howell’s unexpected death crushed his family, as well as his friends.

“Zach was so full of life,” said Samantha. “I never seen him upset — he loved life and lived every day like it was his last.”

His mother said Zachary, who was a first-year student at Sampson Community College at the time of the accident, had the ability to make people feel good about themselves.

“He was the guy who always loved to see people smile,” she said. “He loved to pick at people and have fun. Yes, he did get into some mischief from time-to-time, but he was a friend to everyone, and he wasn’t afraid to stand up for those he cared for. He was a good person and a good child who was just so full of life.”

In the face of tragedy, Samantha, a single mother, got up the courage to begin a scholarship to ensure that Zachary’s legacy will carry.

The Zachary Bryan Howell FFA Memorial Scholarship Fund was put in place last year to help offset college cost for those students pursuing a degree and career in animal science, something that her son was pursing at the time of his passing.

“He loved it,” Samantha said. “To have this in place, makes me feel good. I take pride in knowing that this is available for those students looking to get into the field, and that Zachary’s name will be part of it.”

Samantha said that right now the scholarships are at $750 — she recently gave two to Hobbton High School students Amanda Francis Ropp and Heather Diane Smith.

The two letters Smith and Ropp, who knew Zachary, submitted to Samantha were compassionate and poignant.

“I met Zachary my freshman year,” said Samantha reading from Ropp’s application, “At the time Zachary was a sophomore ... He was the guy that saw someone sad and tried his best to make them feel better or make them smile — he was such a giving person ...”

Samantha chokes up when talking about the applications. “It just makes you feel good to know how people felt and what he meant to them,” she said. “It is just wonderful.”

She also said she hopes to get the scholarship endowed, but it could take at least five more years.

“I want it to be there at Hobbton High School forever,” she said. “To know that his name will continue to be carried on, and students will know that this came from him, his passion. He was such a giving person, that was just the kind of kid he was.”

Senior project helps

scholarship fund

Emily Odum, who was Zachary’s girlfriend for two years, started her senior project during her junior year. That project would eventually raise $1,000 to put towards the scholarship.

“I knew I wanted to do something for Zach, so I came up with the idea to do the planters,” Odum said.

Using her own funds, Odum made over 100 custom-painted planters (each one took at least four days to complete), filled them with items such as candy and other items, and went out and sold them. Every penny made on the planters went towards the scholarship fund.

“I had to write journals when I was doing it and explain the process of it,” Odum said. “I got a 95 on my product so I was happy with it. But I was more pleased with where the money was going to go.”

Odum said she is still open to making the planters for anyone who may be interested in purchasing one, and she will continue to donate the proceeds to Howell’s scholarship fund.

“I think that it is really important to get the scholarship endowed,” she said. “Because everyone who gets it will know that it was because of Zach. I want to keep it up and keep it going to make sure that it happens.”

The two met in the HHS library, Odum remembers.

“We were opposites — I was shy and he was the fun guy — but something about it worked,” she said. “He had a great personality and he knew how to make you smile. He knew everybody ... Everybody liked him, I can’t name anyone who didn’t.”

Zachary’s mother said Odum and her son had plans for the future.

“They talked about a future together,” she said. “They both had things they wanted to do together ...”

After the accident, the mother and girlfriend formed a closer bond and got their strength from the support they received from the outpouring of love from family, friends and the community.

“His death was a shock to everyone,” Odum said. “We got close, and I also started hanging out with Zach’s uncle and his friends, and it really did help me.”

“The support was incredible,” said Samantha. “And Emily, oh, she was just awesome ... When she started her project, she worked so hard on it, and then to just put it back into the scholarship was just incredible — there are not enough words to tell her how much that meant to me. It shows you the compassion and caring she has, and it also shows you her character.”

Samantha said she will continue to put in $20 a week toward the scholarship.

“I used to give Zachary $20 a week for expenses and I will continue to do that — only it will go into the scholarship fund, instead,” she said. “I want to endow it so it will be there long after I am gone, that is my hope.”

To contribute to the scholarship, write to the Zachary Bryan Howell Hobbton High FFA Memorial Scholarship, 4964 Hobbton Highway, Clinton N.C. 28328.

To reach Doug Clark call 910-592-8137 ext. 123 or send e-mail to sisports@myclintonnc.com.