Remembering Billy Z: Loud laugh, big heart

His sister-in-law, Teresa, thought this photograph best captured Billy Zinkhan’s relationship with the kids he coached in ice hockey. He was one of the first mentors of the Baltimore Saints, the program Teresa and Billy’s brother, Jim, established 15 years ago for children with traumatic brain injuries or intellectual disabilities such as autism or Down syndrome. In this photo, Billy clowns on the ice with Aiden, Elijah and Elliott Tillman. “He loved being around the Saints,” says Billy’s friend, Rich Jondo. “He was perfect with them, really. That was his thing. That was his calling.”

Billy died on April 3. He was only 50 years old. The circumstances of his death are still under investigation. His departure represents a profound loss for the special children and adults he coached with the Saints and the sled hockey Bennett Blazers, and for all who knew him. He was a large personality in the relatively small Baltimore hockey world; he had a raspy voice and a loud laugh, and obviously a big heart.

You can read more about Billy in my weekend Sun column: Billy Zinkhan and the joy of helping others. If you don’t have a Sun subscription, there’s a very inexpensive entry offer for the digital edition of the paper.