The Potts family reflects on one year without their only son and big brother, Zachery Potts

 

NEW CARLISLE, Ind. -- In remembering the four lives that were lost on August 3, 2022, the life of Zachery Potts is one that left a sizeable impact on the Michiana community. 

A local leader in politics and well-known aid to Jackie Walorski, at just 27-years-old, Potts had just scratched the surface of his career in politics. 

That’s how most will remember Zach, but his family, to this day, is still dealing with the loss of the quiet, yet outspoken young man who has left a big hole in their family that they’re still figuring out how to patch. 

“It’s almost as if like you’re in a dream and you won’t wake up,” describes Rick Potts, Zach’s father.

It’s a dream the Potts family says they will never wake up from, one that they’ve been living in for a year now. 

“He’s just always, he’s always on my mind,” Lisa Potts shares, Zach’s mother.

August 3rd marks one year since Potts lost his life in a tragic car accident alongside his boss, Representative Jackie Walorski, fellow coworker Emma Thomson, and Edith Schmucker, who was driving the other vehicle involved in the crash.

The day also marks one year that his family has had to learn how to live without their only son and big brother. 

“Everything that you go through in life with a missing child; like the first birthday, the first Christmas, and each of them never turn out exactly like you kind of hoped you plan for,” Rick says.

For most, Zach Potts will be remembered as Walorski’s right hand man, her district director, as well as a chairman of the Saint Joseph County Republican Party. 

His relationship with the former congresswoman, his family watched grow for years; starting when he volunteered for her campaign his freshman year of college where they say he had a skill for recruiting others to volunteer alongside him. 

“Jackie probably saw that he was able to get people to really start moving things,” reflects Rick.

From there, Jackie became an even bigger part of Zach's career and life. 

“What I remember is he would always be working or, Jackie, when he was getting older,” remembers Alexea Potts, Zach’s youngest sister.

“Her lipstick was in his glovebox, her gum, and Zach would even buy the air freshener that Jackie liked, he wouldn’t let his car smell like he wanted, it would be what Jackie liked because he thought that much of her,” Rick shares.

Zach was also a politician himself, the face of the local GOP, and a quiet but mighty leader. 

His family says they loved seeing the impact he had on his community. 

“It shocked me when we would go to Lincoln Day dinners and there’s hundreds of people there and he knew each one of them and he would talk to them,” Lisa remembers. “I was thinking, because he was always my little boy, this is my little boy.” 

However, the side of Zach they miss most is the Zach that was at home every Sunday for family day; playing board games, spending time on their boat, or doing what every big brother does best, picking on his little sisters. 

“I still have instances where I forget and I’ll wake up on Sunday, because you always miss him, and so my brain is ‘Oh I get to see Zach today’, then I have to remember,” Ashley Potts says, sister of Zach’s.

For Ashley, her close resemblance to her brother has played a big role in not only just her grieving, but also for those that see Zach in her. 

“With Zach and I looking so much alike, I still get a lot of the comments when they see me, that I look a lot like Zach and for some people that has gotten them very emotional, which is hard,” shares Ashley.

And Alexea, who started her senior year of high school just days after the accident. 

“You know your family is going to be there to support you through homecoming, the dances, the stressful exams you have to study for, preparing for college, but that was something no one was expecting,” Alexea says.

It’s the random memories and thoughts of Zach that can either turn a good day into a sad one or be the thing that pulls this tight-knit family even closer. 

“You’ll go a day, two days a week, maybe two weeks and nothing, then just walking down the hallway and seeing his pictures and you have a memory of him pushing his little car around, and it just hits you,” Rick shares.

At his funeral, seeing the number of people Zach touched in his life and later finding out that would only scratch the surface. 

“There was just countless people that just said Zach touched them in such a way that they just wouldn’t be where they were today if it wasn’t for him,” says Lisa.

Now, his family says they are still finding ways to make a change through the unimaginable pain.

“I’m just trying to use this to help others,” Lisa shares.

As well as preaching to others the lessons they have learned. 

“If you got a sibling, just tell them you love them,” Alexea advises.

Their faith, they say, is the main force that gave them the strength this past year and that will continue to give them strength for many years to come. 

“It’s only by God’s grace that we’ve made it this far,” says Rick.

The Potts family adds that they extend their condolences to all families involved and thank everyone that has shown them love and support over the last year.