There are striking similarities between actor Chad Sheets and the boy he portrays, Brian Zimmerman. Both boys were born in August of 1972 (Chad on the 6th, Brian on the 20th) just 12 days before Brian Zimmerman on August 6, 1972. While not born in Texas like Brian, Chad lived most of his life there. Both Brian & Chad had tragically short lives that ended in Texas. Brian had a heart attack at the age of 24 in Houston on Sept. 20, 1996. Chad died a mere 2 years later from cancer on December 24, 1998 in Gilmer.
The real Brian Zimmerman would only survive another 13 years after his election in 1983. He died of a heart attack on September 26, 1996 at the age of 24.