Collin Charles Maher

November 16, 2006 — May 15, 2026

Collin Charles Maher walked into every room the same way — with energy, a dry joke already forming, and a genuine interest in whoever was standing in front of him. He was the kind of person who made you feel like the most important one there. Not because he was performing it. Because he actually meant it.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia on November 16, 2006, Collin grew up to become someone his friends described as authentic, energetic, and unapologetically himself. He was funny — quietly, precisely funny, the kind of humor that caught you off guard and made you laugh before you realized what had happened. He was relentlessly upbeat. He loved his friends with his whole heart and loved nothing more than being surrounded by them. He wanted to be loved in return, and he was — more than he may ever have fully known.

His mother Ali says it simply: he brought joy, love, energy, and excitement into every room and every life he touched.

A 2025 graduate of The Mount Vernon School in Sandy Springs, Georgia, Collin was a gifted and accomplished runner who was recruited to compete in track and field at Washington University in St. Louis — his dream school. There he completed his first year as an Economics major and found his people as a proud brother of the Sigma Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi. His coach at Mount Vernon captured him perfectly: “Collin has the it-factor. That fearless grit paired with lots of raw talent makes him a joy to watch.” That description extended far beyond the track. It was just who he was.

He was an Eagle Scout, a member of Troop 370, who had been scouting since first grade. He was innovative and curious from the time he was small, always thinking outside the box, always asking the question nobody else thought to ask. He led with empathy and followed through with determination — a combination that made him not just beloved, but trusted.

But perhaps nothing reveals Collin’s heart more completely than the Cocoa Classic — a charity 5K he conceived and built from scratch as his Eagle Scout project, after noticing children at the local food bank wearing worn-out shoes. Over three years, the race grew into something far beyond what any Eagle project had done before — putting brand-new shoes on the feet of more than 1,600 children at Sandy Springs elementary schools, in partnership with the national nonprofit Shoes That Fit, and earning coverage from FOX 5 Atlanta, Rough Draft Atlanta, and Runner’s World magazine.

“A good pair of shoes isn’t just about comfort — it affects confidence, participation in sports, and even how kids feel about themselves at school.”

For this extraordinary achievement, he received the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award — one of Scouting America’s highest honors — and the Spirit of Sandy Springs Award from the Sandy Springs Society. A runner who knew exactly what the right pair of shoes could do, giving that feeling to 1,600 kids who had never had it. That was Collin.

Mental health struggles are real, and they can be incredibly difficult to see, understand, and treat — even in the people who seem happiest, most vibrant, and most full of life. The Maher family has experienced that unimaginable loss firsthand. They take comfort in believing Collin is now at peace with the Lord, watching over all of them.

Collin is survived by his father Chris and mother Ali Maher of Atlanta; his brother Brennan Maher, who carries Collin’s spirit with him to Boston College this fall; his grandparents Chuck and Connie Matuszak of Boynton Beach, Florida, and Bill and Mary Maher of Hyannis, Massachusetts; his aunts Lisa, Karen, Debb, and Susan; his uncles Andy, Doug, and Rich; his cousins Drew, Sophie, and Cam; his brothers of Alpha Epsilon Pi; and a vast, devoted community of friends — from Atlanta to St. Louis and across the country — whose lives he made permanently better simply by being in them.

A visitation will be held at HM Patterson & Son Funeral Home, 173 Allen Rd NE, Sandy Springs, GA 30328 on Thursday, May 21st from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.

A Memorial Service will follow at 1:00 p.m. at Peachtree Church, 3434 Roswell Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30305, with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to the Cocoa Classic through Collin’s own 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Collins Classic Charities, LLC, founded in 2022. Proceeds will be distributed to teen mental health organizations. To donate, visit www.runcocoaclassic.com.

He will be missed beyond measure. He will never be forgotten.