Chris M. Frésquez
Posted June 4, 2026

 

Every once in a while, I have the opportunity to sit down with someone whose story stays with me long after the interview is over.

 

Recently, I had that experience while speaking with Zach Brooks, a Colorado native, entrepreneur, transplant recipient, athlete, and advocate whose life journey is a powerful reminder of both the fragility and resilience of the human spirit.

 

What struck me immediately was how ordinary his story began.

 

I hope Zach’s story encourages each of us to think a little differently about health, prevention, and the gift of donation.

 

In 1998, at the age of 28, Zach was playing soccer on a beach in California. He kicked a mound of sand instead of the ball and injured his toe. Like most of us would do, he went to the doctor expecting nothing more than an X-ray and perhaps a few days of discomfort.

 

Instead, a routine blood test changed his life.

 

His physician noticed abnormalities in his kidney function. Over the next several months, additional testing revealed a rare autoimmune condition called IgA nephropathy. By the end of that year, Zach’s kidneys were failing.

 

Listening to him describe those early days, I was reminded how often we ignore the signals our bodies send us. Zach’s primary symptom was exhaustion. He attributed it to work and the demands of daily life. How many of us have done the same?

 

As men especially, we often convince ourselves that we are simply tired, stressed, or overworked. We delay annual checkups. We postpone doctor’s appointments. We tell ourselves we’ll get around to it later.

 

Sometimes later never comes.

 

One of the most powerful moments in our conversation came when Zach described a discussion with his physician. Determined to avoid dialysis and a transplant, he asked how long he could continue without treatment.

 

The answer was one week.

 

One week.

 

That reality changed everything.

 

Fortunately, his father had already stepped forward to become a kidney donor. Months later, Zach received his first transplant.

 

Then came another remarkable chapter.

 

Rather than allowing his diagnosis to define him, Zach chose to embrace life. He became involved in sports, competition, advocacy, and service. Yet years later, he faced another devastating challenge when his transplanted kidney began to fail.

 

Once again, a parent stepped forward.

 

This time it was his mother.

During our conversation, Zach shared a phrase that has remained with me ever since.

“My parents gave me life three times.”

The first time at birth.

The second time through his father’s kidney donation.

The third time was through his mother’s donation.

As he spoke about his parents, emotion entered his voice. Even after all these years, he struggles to fully comprehend the magnitude of their sacrifice. He told me that “thank you” never feels sufficient.

I understood exactly what he meant.

As parents, we often talk about unconditional love. Zach’s parents demonstrated it.

What also impressed me was that Zach does not view his survival as solely his own accomplishment. He spoke about the thousands of doctors, nurses, researchers, technicians, scientists, and medical pioneers whose work made his transplants possible.

His gratitude extends beyond his family to an entire community of people he will never meet.

That perspective has shaped his life.

Today, Zach is the founder and CEO of UGenome, a company focused on genetic and genomic medicine. He has dedicated years to transplant advocacy, helping raise awareness about organ donation and supporting transplant recipients around the world. He has competed in numerous Transplant Games, earning medals while demonstrating what is possible after transplantation.

Yet, when I asked about those accomplishments, he spoke less about medals and achievements and more about relationships.

Friendships.

The connections.

The community.

The opportunity to help someone else.

There was another lesson from our conversation that deserves attention.

Zach repeatedly emphasized that a transplant is a treatment, not a cure.

Receiving an organ is only the beginning of a lifelong commitment to health. He spoke about the importance of nutrition, exercise, sleep, regular medical care, and paying attention to the signals our bodies send us.

Those are lessons that apply to all of us, whether we have faced a serious illness or not.

Perhaps the most important takeaway from our discussion was something we often forget.

Life can change in an instant.

A routine doctor’s visit.

A blood test.

An unexpected diagnosis.

Or a decision by someone willing to become an organ donor.

As our community prepares to welcome transplant athletes and advocates from across the country for the upcoming Transplant Games  in Denver, I hope Zach’s story encourages each of us to think a little differently about health, prevention, and the gift of donation.

Most importantly, I hope it reminds us to appreciate the people who make our lives possible.

For Zach Brooks, that gratitude begins with two parents who gave him life three times.

For the rest of us, perhaps it begins by recognizing the gifts we already have—and by using them to help someone else.

 

Chris M. Frésquez, Publisher & CEO, The Weekly Issue/El Semanario.