A Tribute to Max
By his older brother, Jesse
Growing up in a big family with five other brothers and our baby sister, life was never boring. But having Max as my younger brother brought a special kind of joy. He was my partner in crime, and he had a jokingness about him that effortlessly drew people in.
Anyone who knew Max knew he liked to have a good time. In fact, he was the guy who always seemed to have a drink on hand. Some might call it a bad habit, but honestly, that was a big part of the fun of being around him. He was always ready to let loose, and more importantly, he always shared. If Max had a drink, he made sure I had one, too.
Max also absolutely loved his sports. Whether it was watching the Blue Jays, catching a UFC fight, or just talking about sports in general, he was all in. But above all else, we loved our hockey. In fact, I'd say the two of us were easily some of the biggest Canuckleheads in the entire Fraser Valley. One of my absolute favorite memories captures everything I loved about him perfectly. We went to a game together, and the Canucks actually pulled off a win. We had a few drinks, caught a really good buzz, and spent the entire night joking together, just hooting
and hollering non-stop. The night didn't end there. We grabbed a few more drinks for the road at the beer and wine, made the long trek all the way home, and, naturally, wound up in a McDonald's drive-thru. Being the older brother, I paid for the food and made sure to get him home completely safe. The funny part is. after all that effort to take care of him, I was the one who ended up in
the doghouse with my spouse for rolling in so late! It wasn't anything extravagant, but it was perfect. You didn't need to be doing anything special to have an amazing time with Max. You just needed to be with him.
But beyond the sports and the late-night laughs, there was a side of Max I respected so deeply. I swear to God, he loved his career in waste management. He wasn't just clocking in; he was an absolute
perfectionist in his field and took his job incredibly seriously. Because I am a Public Works and Housing Manager, we worked in the exact same field, which gave us a unique connection. He always looked up to me, and we would constantly bounce ideas off each other.
He always talked about how much he loved working with IZWTAG and the programs they brought in. Through his hard work, he achieved so much for Chawathil First Nation- bringing in a brand new garbage truck, building up a solid waste program, and now getting a compost program off the ground. Having him look to me for advice meant the world, but truthfully, seeing his drive and the immense pride he took in providing for his community made me incredibly proud of him.
To our siblings, I know we all share our own amazing memories of him. For me, I am just so lucky to have had him as my little brother. I'm going to miss bouncing ideas off each other, I'm going to miss him handing me a drink the second I walk in, and I'm going to miss his jokes.
I love you brother. I'll carry you with me always
