A Lasting Legacy: The 3rd Annual Zack Bassin Memorial Golf Outing
On Friday, Aug. 27, 2021, those who loved Zack Bassin gathered to play a round of 18 holes — and it was so much more than that. This was their third time hosting the Zack Bassin Memorial Golf Outing, a tribute to their cherished friend, brother, and son who passed away from cystic fibrosis (CF) in 2017.
Ever since anyone can remember, Zack was an avid sports fan and a talented athlete. As he got older, he developed a love for golf because it was a sport he could continue playing even as his lung function diminished. When his family and closest friends got together to plan an event in his memory, a golf tournament to raise critical funds for CF research was selected as the perfect tribute.
The 2021 outing, held at the Putnam County Golf Course in Mahopac, NY, raised an astonishing $10,000 for CF research. Over 100 participants attended — people from his hometown of North Salem, NY, friends from his undergraduate studies at Marist College, and family from all over. Though those of us at Emily’s Entourage unfortunately did not get a chance to meet Zack, we are certain he was a remarkable person because the devotion his entourage has to honoring his memory is extraordinary.
When people talk about Zack, it is with a huge smile on their faces. Whether Zack was their devoted son, their respected brother, or their loyal friend, the adjectives echo: thoughtful, gentle, deeply kind, smart, talented, genuine, totally hilarious. What was most special about Zack, according to his mother Phyllis, was his refusal to be defined by CF — to live a rich and full life while navigating immense medical challenges.
When Phyllis met Emily and Emily’s mom Liza, she was thrilled to learn about EE’s mission to speed breakthroughs for people with nonsense mutations of CF. Like Emily, Zack had a nonsense mutation of CF. In fact, he shared the exact same mutations as Emily, two copies of W1282X. Phyllis saw a bit of her son in Emily’s personality, too, with both possessing a zest for life and exuding inherent kindness.
When it came time, Phyllis and the tournament planning committee selected EE as their charity partner for the inaugural Zack Bassin Memorial Golf Outing. To say we are touched to have been a part of this event from day one is a massive understatement. We are eternally grateful that Zack’s loved ones chose to entrust EE with these precious funds from day one and continue to do so today.
His friends and family remind us of the impact and reality of this disease, and the devastating wake it leaves behind when someone we love and that the world needs is taken far too soon. We are honored to hold a piece of his legacy and to be one small part of Zack’s indelible, lasting impact on the world.
