‘Super healthy’ MMA fighter, 18, dies days after collapsing during training as girlfriend issues energy drink warning
A MIXED martial arts fighter died days after collapsing during a training session.
Zach Doran was sparring at his local gym when his heart suddenly stopped.
The 18-year-old spent 10 days in a coma before his parents Jason and Tami made the “tough” decision to turn his life support machine off.
“He literally fought to his death,” his dad, a teacher and American football coach, said.
“He was doing a sparring session and during round seven or eight, he just collapsed.
“They had thought that he had taken a kick to the chest or a blow to the head, but someone was recording his bouts and it was none of that.
“You could tell he was getting tired and just folded over.”
The “super healthy” teenager, who had been an MMA fighter for two and a half years and was captain of his Varsity American football team, had no underlying health conditions.
But his girlfriend Libby Gilmore, 18, believes energy drinks contributed to Zack’s “shock” passing.
The sportsman reportedly “always had one” before going to the gym or an MMA session, as well as a “pre-workout” – a supplement designed to enhance energy.
Both contain high levels of caffeine.
Jason, from Mustang, Oklahoma, US, said these drinks “didn’t help” his son, but they still “don’t have an exact answer” as to whether they caused his death.
Energy drinks can cause cardiovascular issues, including high blood pressure, an irregular and increased heartbeat, and even heart attacks if consumed in excess, according to Healthline.
The safe limit for adults in 400mg of caffeine a day, but some energy drinks contain more than 500mg.
Despite not yet knowing for sure what killed her boyfriend, Libby wants others to be aware of the potential dangers.
We knew it was time to let him go. We felt like he was done fighting, literally
Jason
“He was the healthiest person I knew in my life. His passing and heart attack was a shock to all of us,” the student said.
“He was very strict about making sure he went to the gym every day and ate all the right things.
“He was so very fit, as well as being an MMA fighter.
“Zach always had an energy drink every time he went to [the gym] or to MMA. Because he was so healthy and fit, I never really thought much of it.
“I didn’t find out until he was in the hospital that at MMA, Zach was also taking pre-workout on top of energy drinks – two very caffeinated things.
“I have done so much research on the dangers of energy drinks and pre-workout, but especially energy drinks.
“Even someone I know, the day after Zach had his heart attack, had a seizure at their gym from taking pre-workout and having an energy drink.
“This just shows that energy drinks and pre-workout are killing or damaging bodies in people that are so young and so healthy.
“All I want to do is show how harmful these drinks and ingredients can be and it’s not to be taken lightly.”
ZACH’S FINAL MOMENTS
Jason said he got a call from his son’s gym on March 3 to say Zach, Zach, who was 6ft 1in and weighed 13.5st, had “been hurt”.
When he asked what was wrong with him, he was told they were doing CPR.
After being rushed to hospital, Zach was put in an induced coma before his parents decided he was “done fighting” and turned his life support off 10 days later.
“It was terrible,” Jason said. “We knew it was time to let him go. We felt like he was done fighting, literally.
“We prayed about it and made a family decision. We told ourselves when we feel like he’s done fighting, we’re going to let him rest.
“It was really tough. We absolutely knew we were doing the right thing when we saw he wasn’t getting better, he was getting worse.
“It was emotionally hard because you know this is it, this is the last time you’re going to see your son.
“You’re trying to hang onto every last moment, but our hearts knew it was the right thing.”
Jason said when they disconnected his ventilator, it took 17 minutes for Zach to pass away.
He and his wife held their son’s hands until the last moment.
“It was surreal,” Jason added. “But we got to spend the last moments with our kid.
“It was kind of crazy because he had a heart attack but he was able to donate seven vital organs and one of them was his heart.”
Zach’s medical cause of death has not yet been identified.
“We’re still waiting for the medical examiner report to get back,” Jason added.
“We don’t know if he had a heart condition. If he did, it was unknown.
“He was super healthy. He was in super fit shape, which is why this was such a shock to everybody.”
The dangers of energy drinks
ENERGY drinks are packed full of caffeine and sugar or sweeteners.
They are generally safe to consume in moderation, but they can be dangerous in excess or in children and young people.
The list of potential side effects is huge, but includes:
- Feeling sick or being sick
- Stomach aches
- Diarrhoea
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Irregular or increased heartbeat
- Headaches
- Difficulty concentrating
- Mood swings
- Insomnia
- Tooth decay
- Weight gain
- Caffeine dependency and withdrawal
- High blood pressure
- Heart attacks
- Sometimes death
Source: Health for Teens and the British Dietetic Association
Oklahoma does not legally require private gyms to have an automated external defibrillator (AED), which the parent believes could have helped to save his son’s life.
The dad-of-five is now campaigning to get more AEDs to prevent anyone else experiencing the same “hurt and pain” his family has.
“During CPR, Zach actually woke up twice,” Jason said.
“Those were the moments that if there was an AED, it might’ve helped him.
“I’m not blaming anybody. It’s nobody’s fault. We have peace about what happened.
“But my campaign is to help supply all private gyms with AEDs. We did some fundraisers under Zach’s name.
“We’ve been able to go to 15 different gyms and athletic facilities and donate them AEDs and tell Zach’s story.
“We’re in the process right now of trying to get a law passed in the state of Oklahoma that all private gyms have to have AEDs available on site. It’d be called Zach’s law.
“This law is to protect not only athletes but spectators as well. If you can help save a life, why wouldn’t you want to?
“We don’t ever want anyone to feel the hurt, the pain, the ups and downs that we felt during 10 days in the hospital and the aftermath.
“If it just helps save one life then it’s worth it.”