Dr. Z

Jesus was concerned about the people that no one else was;  he would venture into neighborhoods that no one else would dare to go. If we are following Him, He will take us into some uncomfortable places.

You may drive into Baltimore and see abandoned homes, boarded-up businesses and kids on the street. But there is a ray of light coming from the city: in one of Baltimore’s poorest sections, there is a man making a difference; you could call him Baltimore’s richest man. He isn’t flush with money – he is filled with joy and satisfaction.

The doctor's name is Michael Zollicoffer. He is 66 and has been faithfully treating people in his neighborhood for 40 years, regardless of their ability to pay. His work has even been acknowledged in the Congressional Record by Congressman Kweisi Mfume in 2025.

Dr. Zollicoffer says “I just love people. If you have a rash, I am going to find you and treat you.” His infectious spirit is what sets him apart. He gives out his cell phone number to patients. He works 24/7, seven days a week.

If patients can’t pay, that is okay with him. “Forget that dollar bill”, he says, “if you are sick, I will treat you and your grandmother too.”

He is a superhero, but not invincible. Recently he came down with renal and rectal cancer. There was some Medicare snafu, and he didn’t have the insurance or funds to pay for treatment His patients said Dr Z never gives up on us; so we will not give up on him. His patients did a go fund me campaign and raised $100,000. Whatever it takes to save Dr Z, they were going to do it.

What spiritual principles do we derive from his life?

First it seems that Dr Z’s motivation comes from love. We know that love focuses on the well being of others. In his case, he exemplifies the greatest joy we can know:  to give yourself to others without expecting anything in return.

Second, the people he loved unexpectedly returned love to him. Jesus said “give and it shall be given to you”. Even though he gave without expecting anything from the people he served, the community gave back to Dr. Z. Some of the poorest people in Baltimore came up with $100,000 when he had a need.

The noble among us serve the underserved. Though they could rake in a larger income by working with people with insurance or the capacity to pay. Jesus Himself would gravitate to Dr. Z’s neighborhood giving attention to the marginalized, the poor, the neglected.

How about you and me? Is there a higher motivation than simply earning a salary and paying the bills? This story inspires me that there are communities of people who don’t get much attention. In a community where you might lock your car doors or not drive at night, Dr. Z has lived for the past 40 years. He didn’t just live there, he gave there.

I believe making our country great again has a lot to do with taking care of the least of these, of being empathetic to people’s pain, of alleviating human suffering, and less to do with the political rhetoric we hear.