A surprise ending film: Dear Zachary: A letter to a son about his father

Andrew Bagby, a medical doctor was murdered by Zachary’s mother, Shirley Turner under mysterious circumstances in 2001. His childhood friend, Kurt Kuenne made this documentary film for his parents, Kate and David Bagby in the memory of Andrew and his son, Zachary. As the subtitle suggests, I kept thinking that Zachary is now ten years old and it will be hard to learn his father was murdered by his mother. I realize that it is not the case until the end of the film. Zachary was drowned by his own mother in 2003 in a suicide-murder case. I was shocked. How and why a mother can do such thing to her own flesh? I keep asking why? Why? Why? It is a nightmare for Andrew’s parents, Kate and David Bagby who had been cared for Zachary for a year with numerous custody battles with his mother who was in and out of the jail. I cannot imagine how they handle the tragedy in two years – lost their own son and as well their grandson in less than two years –“白頭人送黑頭人”( it is a Cantonese proverb meaning "white-haired person sending off black-haired person).

It is a heartbreaking film but please do not let that stop you from watching it.