Zach Pickard, a 17-year-old boy who suffered from the rare, rapid-aging disease progeria, has died, his Lexington pastor said in an online message to church members Sunday.
Michael Swartzentruber, senior pastor of South Elkhorn Christian Church, said in the message:
“I am writing to share the news that Zach Pickard peacefully entered the eternal embrace of God’s eternal care Sunday morning,” Swartzentruber said in his post. “Zach’s 17 years of life were filled with joy, laughter, and great love, even as he battled Progeria.”
The Herald-Leader has followed Zach, an intellectually developed child, since he was a baby.
“Progeria patients — and there are only a few of them in the world — have small bodies and bald heads with prominent veins. They have no body fat, their small fingers seem almost too fragile to grip a pen and paper. Zach’s legs are skinny, his knees prominent, his voice small but precise,” a 2018 Herald-Leader article said.
A visitation will be held at South Elkhorn Christian Church on Friday, September 6th from 6:00-9:00 pm. A service will be held at South Elkhorn on Saturday, September 7th at 11:00 am.
The pastor said the visitation and service will both take place at the Christian Ministry Center.
