Zach Bennett, April 17, 1996 - June 7, 2022. The family celebrated Zach's birth and now we mourn his death. We loved and supported him as he grew from fascination with fire trucks to his creation of the Sierra Vista News Network. His aunt Norma and Big Papa Beaudry took him to visit the fire stations in Sierra Vista and Fort Huachuca.
Zach could identify city and county emergency vehicles just by the sound of their sirens. He had fire department patches the family picked up from fire stations as they traveled throughout the country. Zach's bedroom had a huge fire truck painted on the wall. He played T-Ball, then Little League; he was an altar server. But he was most fascinated with fire trucks, police cars, lights, and sirens. When older, he collected light bars he would "install" in his Omi's red Honda Accord. Zach became extremely proficient in programming and installing light bars, often critiquing the City's light and siren installations. He installed light bars for tow truck and security organizations and his own Crown Victoria retired police cars as well as selling them nationwide.
After his Buena High School days, he began the Sierra Vista News Network (SVNN) and started honing his craft as a photojournalist. After several starts and stops, he rejuvenated the SVNN, turning it into the leading source of news for the Greater Sierra Vista metroplex. He covered it all, police and sheriff chases, illegal immigration smuggling, car wrecks, fires, shootings, protests...if it happened in Sierra Vista or environs, Zach was probably there covering the story.
Zach completed the EMT course at Cochise College but terribly bad decisions as a teenager kept Zach from testing for national EMT certification. Often the first person at a scene, he rendered responsible and effective Good Samaritan first aid. Zach saved many lives with his prompt attention to the victims he gave while waiting for EMTs and police to arrive. He also worked the 1-10 corridor between the J-6 Ranch exit and Willcox as a ride-along with HCI Ambulance out of Benson.
Despite his rocky and troubled teen years, Zach was able to establish solid working relationships with local police, sheriffs and fire departments because of his fair and solid reporting, steadfast support of the local first responders and the assistance he offered them in performing their duties. His reporting was always fair and accurate. His news stories and photos ran on the SVNN website, on Tucson television stations and websites and even on the Epoch Times, a national internet news outlet. He grew the SVNN from a small-time hobby to the major Greater Sierra Vista metroplex internet news source. Zach joined other local live streams and internet news sources to help report important news stories which often were never reported by the established media. His legacy, the SVNN, will continue to grow and flourish as he trained a promising new photojournalist who is following in his footsteps.
Please remember Zach by continuing to patronize the SVNN and support all those who try to keep you, the citizens of Cochise County, aware of what is happening around you. When you hear a siren, remember Zach heading to the scene to bring you the news.
He is survived by his mother Melissa, his sisters Shona and Isha, his aunts Norma and Regina, his uncle Wayne and cousin Meghan, his grandfather and great grandmother Wally. He is also survived by his daughter, Claire, the light of all our lives. He was preceded in death by his grandmother and Omi Petra, his great grandfather and Big Papa Wayne, Sr., and his uncle Pete. Please pray for the repose of his soul. Obituary photo taken by Mariah Montano, SVNN.
The family will hold private memorial services at a later date. This will be by invitation only and closed to the public.
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