Like any young couple expecting their first child, Jason and Jennifer Tuttle of Newnan were excited at their ultrasound appointment. Jason wanted to know the sex of their child; Jennifer wanted to be surprised. Abruptly, the ultrasound technician ended their playful argument. She’d discovered an issue with the baby and needed to inform the doctor of the baby’s sex. The Tuttles were having a son—Zachary.
Jennifer was put under the care of a perinatologist who explained Zachary would be born with neurological delays and would likely suffer epilepsy and seizures. He had a missing kidney as well as areas of missing white matter in his brain. But it wasn’t until Zachary’s birth they learned he also had Eagle Barrett Syndrome. The rare congenital disorder includes urinary tract abnormalities and is commonly known as prune belly for its deficient abdominal musculature.
Even though he was thrilled after the birth of his son, gifted with stunning blue eyes, Jason admits that being bombarded with all the needed medical care hit him like a ton of bricks. “I lost it,” he said. Several years later, Jason decided to leave his teaching position and become Zachary’s full-time caregiver. About two years after Zachary’s birth, Jason and Jennifer had a daughter, Samantha, born with the same neurological and developmental delays as Zachary, but without Eagle Barrett Syndrome.
Despite his numerous medical needs, Jason describes his son as personable, laid back, and happy with weirdly accurate comedic timing. Zachary loved horseback therapy and was a huge fan of The Weather Channel, which he got to visit by invitation of the channel’s president.
By the time Zachary was 15, he was still non-verbal and comparable developmentally to a 4 to 6-year-old. A wheelchair provided mobility, though he could walk with assistance. On January 28, 2022, Zachary’s condition took its toll, and he passed away unexpectedly after Jason had rushed him to the ER at Scottish Rite Hospital.
After Zachary’s death, Jason’s therapist suggested journaling to deal with his grief. Initially, what he wrote in the journal his mother gave him was personal.
He opened a Word document one day, wrote “Dear Zachary, today is a tough day,” and added all he felt at the moment. Continuing to write the letters, Jason joined an online grief group where he shared them and drew a massive response.
As a man willing to share his feelings, he quickly struck a chord with other men and women who wanted the men in their lives to express their grief. “Letters To Zachary,” is now a Facebook page and on other platforms and Jason’s growing circle of influence in the grief community includes followers in 44 states and 18 countries.
“Grief sucks,” Jason said. “It’s life-changing.” Jason’s “Letters to Zachary” doesn’t sugarcoat anything about the grieving process. “It's raw, unfiltered, transparent and in the moment,” he said. “I'm the type of person that if I don't get it out, it will just eat me on the inside.”
Sharing his grief is cathartic for Jason. It helps others navigate the grieving process and most importantly creates a legacy for Zachary. “Zachary made me into a much better man than what I was,” Jason said. “He taught me to enjoy the little things in life because you never know when things will change in the blink of an eye.”
Search Letters to Zachary on Facebook to connect with Jason.
“He taught me to enjoy the little things in life because you never know when things will change in the blink of an eye.”