'People just loved him': Junee farewells Zach 'Achyman' Diggins

So it was fitting that as hundreds of Junee residents gathered to honour his memory on Wednesday, his distinctive techno remixes resonated across the Athenium Theatre.

The 18-year-old passed away on October 18, 2022 - more than six years after a tumour was discovered in his spine and he was given a prognosis of just 24 months.

Over the course of his battles with the tumour, Zach had to re-learn how to walk twice, persevering through pain and nerve damage through sheer willpower.

When his mother Lisa Diggins questioned how on earth he was walking despite having no feeling in his feet, he simply told her: "It's muscle memory Mum" and that he was "not going in a wheelchair".

Zach's engaging personality never wavered despite the challenges, as friends, family, nurses, teachers and doctors alike regularly found themselves drawn towards his sense of humour.

"He could just engage with people ... he was just so likeable and people just loved him and loved talking to him," Mrs Diggins said.

"If he ever recognised that he was a bit flat, he just had this ability to quickly go 'that's not helping anyone, let's shift my mindset'.

"So he'd go and make music, listen to music or go for a drive with his mates and then he would be like 'yep, I'm back - let's go'."

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Even when he was just a youngster, armed with blond hair and bright blue eyes, Zach would regularly tell his mother that he wasn't made to work the average job.

He once made his father buy chickens for the household so that he could try his luck at selling the eggs.

When that novelty wore off, he then began to go out in search of grubs to sell to bait and tackle shops.

But it wasn't until he was in Year 8 that he discovered his biggest passion in life, returning from school one day and telling his mum that he was going to become a DJ.

"We could tell straight away - we just knew that's what he wanted to do. So like we do with both of our boys we really got behind him and supported him, buying him all the gear," Mrs Diggins said.

"His first real proper gig was the high school ball and he absolutely killed it.

"We were in the car coming home and Zach was sitting in the back saying 'oh my god Mum' as the messages were just coming through from so many kids saying 'thanks so much, that was the best school ball ever'.

"It literally just fired him up even more to run with it."

From that moment on 'Achyman' was born and Zach started playing regular gigs at parties and events across Junee and the Riverina.

Even after his tumour returned, he once pulled himself out of bed while incredibly sick to go and perform at a friend's party, simply because he'd given his word.

At another party, he was set up at the decks from 8pm until 4am - a marathon stint of music - all for just $300.

"He just loved it and he loved seeing people on the dance floor having the best time - it made him happy," Mrs Diggins said.

"He said to me once 'that's what I love about it, seeing people having a good time'."

When the Junee community found out Zach had returned to hospital earlier this year, they rallied together and raised more than $70,000 for the Diggins family.

Mrs Diggins said she was blown away by the support the town had shown to her family.

"We are so blessed to live in this Junee community because when the chips are down people just get behind you," she said.

"Some people just don't get the whole 'small town' thing but this town is just something else."

Seeing the hundreds who had been impacted in some way by Zach, whether it was his music or sense of humour, Mrs Diggins was sure she would not be alone in mourning him.

"In the days and years to come, we'll remember our funny, determined, creative, kind, independent, unique Achyman - and we know you will too," she said.

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