Lake Cormorant High School football player Zach Brown has received a lung transplant at a Texas hospital, a hopeful turn in a weeks-long medical fight that began when the 17-year-old was accidentally exposed to the highly toxic herbicide paraquat. News of the Zach Brown lung transplant has spread quickly through the Lake Cormorant community, which has rallied around the junior offensive lineman and his family since early September.
According to Action News 5, Brown’s father said the surgery was long but “went as well as expected.” The family had shared earlier in the week that a donor match had been found.
How the Zach Brown Lung Transplant Came About
Brown was hospitalized in early September after the accidental exposure. He was treated at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, where he was placed on ECMO, a machine that takes over the work of the heart and lungs, while doctors evaluated him for a possible transplant, according to earlier reporting by Darkhorse Press.
Paraquat is one of the most dangerous weed killers still in use in the United States and is banned in dozens of countries. It tends to harm the kidneys and liver first, then builds up in the lungs, which is why a patient’s breathing can get worse weeks after the first contact.
The family has not said publicly how the exposure happened. They have stressed that it did not happen at the school or near it, and they asked the public not to speculate or blame area farmers, who they said had nothing to do with it. School officials told parents there was no reason to worry about exposure from the school or nearby farmland.
Lake Cormorant Coach: ‘Good Progress’
Lake Cormorant head football coach Nick Nester said the team has been encouraged by the news.
“You’re glad to see that so far things have worked out for him,” Nester told Action News 5. “It’s unfortunate what the circumstances were, but there’s been some progress, and that’s good progress.”
Nester also pointed out how hard it has been for the Browns to be so far from home during the ordeal. Players, coaches and families in the Gators program have kept Zach in their prayers throughout his hospital stay.
A Family Rooted in the Community
Zach is the son of Sharla Brown, a teacher at Lake Cormorant Middle School, and Casey Brown, a Tunica County firefighter. His brother serves in the U.S. Air Force, and he has two sisters, Hannah and Amber.
A GoFundMe campaign was set up to help the family with medical bills and living costs during the long hospital stay in Houston. As of Sept. 30, the fundraiser was close to its $16,000 goal.
How to Support the Brown Family
Donate: Search “Zach Brown” on GoFundMe to find the family’s verified campaign and help with medical and travel expenses.
Pray and share: The family has leaned on faith throughout Zach’s treatment and has thanked the community for its prayers.
Respect privacy: The family has asked people not to spread rumors about how the exposure happened.
Recovery from a lung transplant typically takes months and includes close monitoring for rejection, so Zach is expected to stay under specialized care for some time. DeSoto County News will share updates as the family makes them public.
