Happy 18th Birthday Zack!
September 22, 2013
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Happy 18th Birthday Zack! 18 years ago today, on September 22, at 5:23 pm Zachary Alexander “Fred Astaire” Turner danced his way into this world-although a little bit early at 28 weeks. Fred, you were the miracle, the one that “could never be” but yet there you were, proof that dreams can come true when you have the power to believe in them.
The time has flown by. We all knew from the beginning that you were brought into our lives for a reason and every second that goes by, you are living proof of just that. From the little boy that could act out the entire “Fantasmic” show on top of the coffee table in full Mickey garb to the amazing young man you are today, dancing your way through life, you touch the lives of every person you come into contact with your gentle soul and have changed us all in so many ways.
It seems so cliché’ to say time passes in a blink of an eye-I blinked once and we were celebrating your first birthday. I blinked again, and you were off to school. And as days turned to months and months turned to years, you grew and transformed before our eyes, growing into the young man you’ve become today- a person who leaves me in awe with your compassion, your ability to love and the ability to give of yourself so unconditionally. While each of life’s milestones brought something new and exciting along the way, this birthday milestone is unlike the others and is breaking my heart just a tiny little bit.
It’s hard for me to come to terms with the fact that this birthday means that last of my babies has finally reached “that” age. You can sign your first professional contract, finally audition for Disney, although now you will need a real ID to get through airport security, buy lottery tickets, vote and sadly, all too soon will come the moment when it will finally be time to soar on your own (well as soon as you learn to drive) As of today, although we all know you will always be my baby, today is that right of passage when you become an adult-the world awaits you and time will tell what impact you will have on. The one certainty is that whatever direction life takes you, the world will be a better place because of you.
Like your sister and brothers, you are not just an amazing son, but also an incredible human being. You bear the strength of conviction, honesty, and most of all, an inner self-confidence and someone I always have and always will truly admire you.
Your talents never cease to astonish me-your eyes see beauty where sometimes mine see nothing. You see the good in everyone and every situation. Your mind has the gift to create, and your body moves to the music like no one is watching. When you smile the world lights up around you. You are, in a word, magical.
Fred, you are the miracle, the proof that dreams and wishes can and do come true, and today, on this, your 18th birthday, I wish for you the sun, the moon, the stars, the Vorlon galaxy-and a little bit more. I wish for you the life you were born and meant to live. I wish for you all of the beauty of the world and the strength to see you through no matter what life has in store for you. Always believe in the possibilities, live your dreams! Reach for the stars-they are out there waiting just for you! No matter where life takes you, always know that first, foremost and always, I will always be your mommy.
It seems like only a moment ago that I held you for the very first time As I gazed down on you, I wished the world for you and throughout the years, you, Heather, Kevin, Jason and Thumper have made all of my dreams come true. Now I wish for you the same-dare to dream, live your life and don’t merely exist in it and Believe….and miracles will happen.
Happy Eighteenth Birthday, Fred. With more love than you can ever imagine – All my love and a little bit more-Mommy
And now in true Turner family tradition, a word from Heather and Jason….Happy 18th Birthday Zachary. As I sit here and think back to the past 18 years the first thing that comes to my mind is “God I am Old” The next thing that comes to mind is I cannot believe you are now old enough to vote, to play the lotto, to drive a car… wait you were old enough to drive a car 2 years ago so where is that license?
But while you may look all sweet and cute here we all know the real Zack…
And 18 years later he is still messy Zachary from the many late nights of sister/brother bonding to when you were a baby to seeing you walk across that grass to get your pre-school diploma and then your high school diploma last June to performing on stage with Disney Performing Arts I am so very honored to be your big sister. I wish you a very magical and happy birthday. 
Reach for the stars and may all of your dreams become a reality. I love you very much and have a very Happy Birthday!!! Much love, Sissy
Happy Birthday Zack, When I think of you Most of my memories as a little kid have to do with you and something Disney. The first would be of you putting on shows in the living room dressed up as Sorcerer Mickey and doing a Fantasmic like show. Always creating some new premise and using your Mickey Sword flashlight like a magic wand. The next would be the Disney movies you would watch over and over again “Air Bud” and “Aristocats” all day long you would want to watch those movies and cry until they were rewound (Before DVD).
Last but not least who can forget you and your not one but two Cinderella dress that you would wear as Pajamas because they were soft. I have more but these were three that stuck out the most. Happy Birthday-much love-Jason
