Zach Horton, owner of Blind Squirrel Nut Co.,has a powerful story of faith and resilience that eventually led to entrepreneurship. He tapped into a niche market when he began selling organic and kosher pecans in a variety of flavors.
They offer regular, chocolate covered, praline, sweet Georgia heat, and roasted and salted pecans. While customers enjoy these staple flavors, they plan to expand their variety in the months to come.

Zach incorporates humor into the brand, but his story will draw on your heart strings. Having grown up in Houston County, Zach left his hometown to go to college in Alabama. A fifth generation native to Georgia, he says,“Broke my family’s heart when I made the decision to go to Auburn.” He enjoyed his time in college before moving to Atlanta for his first post-graduation job. However, before long, his health took an unexpected turn.

“I began having real intense migraines, my vision would flicker in and out, and I would lose all sense of equilibrium,” he recalls. Zach lost his job in Atlanta because of these complications, so he moved home to Warner Robins to work for his dad at The Warehouse.

As his health continued to deteriorate, he sought medical attention from an eye doctor. Zach learned he had papilledema, a swollen optic nerve. The eye doctor explained that this diagnosis was outside of his scope of practice and referred Zach to a neurologist. There Zach had a CT scan, MRI, and lumbar puncture done before learning that he had an inoperable brain tumor.

“The good news was the tumor was not cancerous based on its shape,” Zach says. “I had an operation to put in a shunt to control the pressure in my ventricle.”Shortly after surgery, Zach headed home to Bonaire and believed al lto be well.

Less than two days later, the shunt in his brain failed and the pressure began rapidly building. Zach remembers being in aggravating pain, so his parents rushed him back to the hospital to undergo another operation.However,when he woke up from surgery this time, he was blind.

Zach saw many specialists following this new development.He recalls a visit to a particular specialist, saying,“He informed me that based on the damage that was done I would probably never see again. It was medically irreparable.”

About two weeks later, the second shunt failed repeating the entire process. With this, Zach ended up in the hospital once again. While in the hospital, he says, “I was in the middle of eating a hamburger one day and in the middle of that hamburger my body forgot how to do everything and shut down. I went to sleep and my body didn’t wake up for the next twenty months.”

Newly blinded, Zach was launched into an extensive coma where his life hung in the balance.While he was comatose, Zach’s parents continued to seek medical treatment hoping their son would wake up. “My parents never gave up their faith,” Zach says sweetly. Over the next twenty months, he says, “Thirteen shunts failed. They have no medical explanation for why I survived.”

On Christmas day in 2014, his parent’s prayers were answered when Zach suddenly awoke from his coma. You can imagine the emotions that encompassed him. Not only had he fallen into a coma as a twenty-three-year-old and woken up at twenty-five, he had lost all sense of independence.

“After waking up,” he says, “I had to relearn everything–walk, talk, feed myself, clean myself. I had goals and plans for my life and I wasn’t ready to give up.” Zach went through the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation training to help him during this time.

While the duration of his coma was appalling, the timing of him waking up was divine. Not only was it a Christmas gift to his family, but Zach’s brother was to be married on January 10th. Though he was still immobile at this stage, Zach acted as ring bearer for the newlyweds.

Through the help of his family and many medical professionals, Zach regained his independence. He attributes his progress to the dedication of neurosurgeon Dr.Joe Sam Robinson Jr.and internist Dr. Mohammad Al-Shroof.

As Zach’s health improved following the coma, he went to work at Houston Healthcare in Warner Robins. However, he became aware of a unique opportunity. “I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit,” Zach tells me. “I had a friend from high school [who] owned a shelling company in Fort Valley. He realized there’s a huge need for organic and kosher pecans up in the northeast.

Intrigued by what this could mean for Houston County, Zach decided to explore this opportunity. Before long, he made a business for himself selling delicious pecans. He named his business Blind Squirrel Nut Co. with the slogan,Even A Blind Squirrel Finds A Nut Sometimes!

Customers can pick up a one-pound bag of any flavored nutsatThe Warehouse in Warner Robins. They have also created a website where you can order online. They have shipped their pecans as far as California and Puerto Rico.

Zach shares that his faith in the Lord has carried him through this entire journey.“I wouldn’t wish what I went through upon anybody, but I wouldn’t change it for the world,” he says. “Hard days come to everybody, it’s what you rely on and what you put your hope in that matter. With Jesus and hard work, I truly believe anything is still possible.”

Defying medical odds, Zach has slowly regained the ability to make out shapes and lights. He states with absolute conviction that he will one day regain his sight, whether on this side of heaven or when he meets his Maker.

After his coma, Zach became involved in several bible studies where he leaned on the faith and encouragement of other believers. Then, in the Lord’s beautiful timing, he met his wife, Jessy. “Personally, to me, she’s the greatest blessing the Lord has ever given to me, and I survived a brain tumor and a coma,” he laughs. Zach’s love and adoration for Jessy naturally seeps into conversation, and the couple are ecstatic to be expecting their firstborn child in the new year.

His faith is a testament to the might and power of God. Zach finds peace and comfort in the knowledge that He isa son of God, and the Lord will never forsake him. “The Lord allowed this for a reason,” he says of his struggles. “I don’t believe He caused it but He did allow it, and I believe He allowed it for my benefit.”

Through his testimony, Zach inspires others to trust in the Lord.He often quotes 2 Corinthians 5:7 which says,“For we walk by faith, not sight.” Zach finds encouragement in the call to live by faith no matter your circumstances.

His sunny disposition is draped in a joy that only comes from the Lord. Zach hopes to provide customers a small piece of heaven in every bite of his pecans. Pick up a bag from Blind Squirrel Nut Co. and go nuts for their flavors