Zachary Sutterfield: Arson survivor graduates 4 years after he was caught in unsolved fire that killed five
SAN MARCOS, TEXAS: A 24-year-old survivor of a Texas apartment arson attack that claimed the lives of five people, including two of his friends, completed his graduation on December 10, four years after sustaining a brain injury and burns to 70 percent of his body. It was an emotional day for Zachary Sutterfield, who was congratulated by his family members and loved ones after four years of an uphill battle against all the odds brought on by the unsolved crime that took place at the Iconic Village apartments in San Marcos, Texas.
Overwhelmed by the occasion, Stutterfield's mother sprinted through the crowd after the commencement and cried out, "You did it! We did it!". Sutterfield was badly burnt on July 19, 2018 in a fire that claimed the lives of Dru Estes, 22, Belinda Moats, 21, Haley Michele Frizzell, 19, David Angel Ortiz, 21, and James Phillip Miranda, 23. Seven others were also badly injured in the attack and the crime is yet to be solved.
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Sutterfield was asleep when the fire broke out, just half a mile from Texas State University. He woke up surrounded by flames with portions of his body on fire just after 4.30 am. The 24-year-old had to leap from the second-story balcony of the apartment he was in to escape from the blaze. The friends he was staying with, Frizzell and Ortiz, both died in the blaze.
Sutterfield said had "given up all hopes" about completing his education because after the incident, he had to relearn "everything from walking to feeding" himself. "Double amputations, traumatic brain injury, passed away twice at the hospital," the Angelo State University alum said, according to Daily Mail. "I pretty much told myself, 'I'm never going to college. I’m never going to graduate,"' he continued. "Because at that point in time, I couldn’t even write my name. I didn’t have a thumb." However, he was always backed by his parents, friends and family and eventually he managed to enroll and take classes until he finally graduated.
Sutterfield proudly walked across the stage as his family members watched him obtain his bachelor's of arts degree in English on December 10. A large group of firefighters, nurses, and doctors were also present alongside his family as they watched him accomplish what once seemed impossible. "I think it is a mixture of stubbornness and family willpower to get here," Sutterfield said of what motivated him to keep going. "I wanted to walk across that stage. I wanted to take that diploma and really stamp out this chapter in my life that has been the most grueling years as a young 20-year-old."
"Yesterday was the most BEAUTIFUL day! It was such a gift to watch Zachary Sutterfield walk the stage! There were so many incredible people who have been a part of his journey there," said Julie Upton Schniers who worked with Angelo State University in a heartwarming post congratulating him for overcoming the obstacles. She shared photos and videos from Sutterfield's graduation on Facebook. "Getting to celebrate with some of those that helped him in the very beginning was so touching," the Angelo State University employee said. "Being a small part of the journey has been an honor of a lifetime! We are ALL SO PROUD OF YOU ZACH!!"
After the deadly fire, Sutterfield spent roughly a year and a half in medical facilities and to date he has undergone 33 surgeries and faces more in the future. His family decided to contact Angelo State University, the same school his parents attended to see if you anything could be done to help him reach his goal of getting a degree. "We decided we should reach out to ASU to see if there was anything they could do to help me graduate with what I would want to graduate with," Sutterfield said. "We spoke to the English Department, and at the drop of a hat, they were like, 'We can do it. We can make sure that he walks the stage with what he wants to pursue.'"