LEANDER, Texas — Like all parent-child relationships, Martha Ledezma and Joseph McMeekin's bond with their son, 16-year-old Leander High School junior Zarek McMeekin, was not perfect, but it was always filled with care.
"We had our ups and downs as any father and son do – do want to say was more ups, but bigger downs," Joseph McMeekin said. "We would always tell each other we loved each other at night."
Zarek McMeekin's parents say he was a son who loved animals, helping others and being surrounded by friends.
"He expressed often that he wanted to get married, have his own family, he wanted to have lots of kids and stuff," Ledezma said. "And he wanted to have a career somewhere, helping, just helping people in some sort of way."
Those were dreams that would not come to fruition. Zarek McMeekin's parents found him in his bed, covered in his blanket, on Saturday.
"I felt him. He was cold. I checked for a pulse and there was nothing," Joseph McMceekin said. "I touched his leg, and it was hard. And I was like, 'Yeah, he's gone.'"
"I reached out to somebody and asked, and they said that he had taken fentanyl," Ledezma said. "It's a terrible drug, and we just hope you know something happens that we can get rid of it or you know, do whatever we can to help everybody out and not lose any more lives."
Authorities said on Monday that a task force will be working to fight the spread of dangerous drugs in the community following Zarek McMeekin's death.
"There's no words for replacing or for losing a child, it's what you put all your time, all your energy into," Joseph McMeekin said. "You know, it's what you know you build your hopes and dreams around theirs and theirs gets taken away and so it's yours."
Theirs was a family bond not without its flaws, but filled with love, that will be forever missed.
"But just every day, it was, you know, always trying to push him in a better direction," Joseph McMeekin said. "I think some of the brightest stars get burnt out too soon, and I think you know he had the potential to be one."
Those looking to pay their respects to Zarek McMeekin can attend his funeral service on Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Weed Corley Fish in Leander.