Zach Meyer

Zach Meyer
Portrayed by: Ryan Donowho
Full Name	Zachary Derrick Meyer (previously Rosenthal)
Status	Deceased
Age	17
Relatives	Rebecca Rosenthal (Biological mother, deceased) Michael Rosenthal (Biological father, deceased) Jennifer Meyer (adoptive mother) Peter Meyer (adoptive mother) Lauren Meyer (adoptive sister) Claire Meyer (adoptive sister) John Meyer (adoptive brother) D.J. Meyer (adoptive sister-in-law) Dylan Meyer (adoptive nephew) Simone Meyer (adoptive niece) Linda Wallace (adoptive aunt) Ted Wallace (adoptive uncle) Cody Wallace (adoptive cousin) Shelby Wallace (adoptive cousin)
Significant Others	Dana Harper (Former Girlfriend) Lauren Meyer (adoptive sister, who Zach became infatuated with) Anthony Harper (Rival)
First Appearance	Pilot
Last Appearance	Freefall Remembrance Day (Dream Sequence)
Appearances	S1 * S2 * S4

Zachary Derrick Meyer (prev. Rosenthal) also known as Zach, was the adoptive son of Jennifer and Peter Meyer. Zach aspired to gain his father's love, which he felt was not there since Peter was always there rooting for Zach's fellow football teammate and rival Anthony Harper, instead of him. He died during the Flight 316 crash.

History

Background

Zachary Derrick Meyer was born sometime in 1990 to Rebecca and Michael Rosenthal, friends of Jennifer and Peter Meyer.  When Rebecca and Michael were killed in a tragic car accident, Zach was orphaned and was taken in by Jennifer and Peter as their son.  They relocated to Cherry Hill shortly after adopting him and claimed him as their oldest biolgical son.  Zach learned he was adopted sometime before the events of Season 1.

Season 1

Zach found himself in a relationship with Dana Harper, and the two solidified their relationship. Zach, however, was revealed to be his sister Lauren's stalker and that he was not the true son of Peter and Jennifer Meyer, but their adopted son. Zach was put in police custody, but tricked Officer Kendall into letting him get his phone call when he fled from the police station and disappeared.

Zach heads to Dana's house, sneaking past the police guarding Dana while they talked to a departing Lydia and Anthony. The encounter ends abruptly when Dana is accidentally stabbed in the side during a scuffle with a knife. The police come in, one gets ready to take Dana to the hospital while the other cuffs Zach. During this, the plane engine from Flight 316 tears through the house and makes it collapse with him and Dana in it.

Post-Death (Season 2)

Zach was revealed to have died in the house collapse while Dana was put in a comatose state. His ashes are on the mantle piece in the Meyer house and Peter seems to blame himself for how Zach turned out, and thinks that if he and Jennifer had raised him better he wouldn't have attacked Lauren and he wouldn't have died. During the second season, it seems that the Meyer family dodge around Zach's name, trying to mention him as infrequently as possible though it is Peter who takes his death to heart. Zach later appears to Peter in a dream during The Point of No Return, warning his adoptive father that Lauren is in trouble and death is seeking her.

Trivia

• Zach was the first main character to die.
• Zach appeared in every episode of Season One, and special guest starred in one of the second season. This makes his overall appearances 12.