chunder,the man

[crweich]

i first met max through my girlfriend erika back in 1998 when he moved to steamboat. we made about one run with max every time we hit the mountain and max would be bored with our telemarking turns and dust us after he made sure we saw him hit one big air or spray some gaper with snow. we saw max several times a year in steamboat , but it wasn't until he moved to boulder that i really experienced max. he was a fixture in our dining room almost every week for dinner unless he was in zermat with vin or in tahoe with pamela anderson. we shared conversations ranging from the ridiculous to the reality of social injustices. max was at the university and was really opening his spectrum of thinking and understanding. we shared our worries and dislikes for the ruling regime.
i had the good fortune of introducing many of the boulder peeps to max. he was often keenly correct about his new found friends by remarking "that dude is classic" well max, it takes one to know one. you're a classic. most of the posts on this site make mention of max as the boater, biker, boarder, and flyer. i think that max having grown up in the world of marvel comics has a lot to attribute to his lack of fear and his super hero attitude. he really had a fantastical way of living his life while keeping it real and fashionably simple.
my heart goes out to max's family and many friends. allow the healing to happen and celebrate the life that max lived.
thanks for the Soulshine brah--much love and respect, chris

[gilliansteamboat]

The last time I saw Max was at the C hole a few years ago. He looked AWESOME, I was totally inspired by his comeback from his neck accident, and there was a look in his eye that I hadn't seen there before. Maybe healthier, maybe more grounded, it's hard to put my finger on it.

We were on a westwater trip together probably 5 years ago now, and I simply couldn't hang. I had far less to drink and slept many more hours than he did on that trip. I am pretty sure he was once again found asleep by a cold fire pit without a blanket. He was always playing at something. He and a few others in his "posse" hiked back up to swim the rapid a couple of times. On the flat water paddle out he kept us laughing- I have a hilarious photo of just his head sticking out of the VERY brown water with a funny look on his face cause he was pooping- (sorry environmentalists), but at the time it was hysterical. Later when it started to rain and the temperature dropped to where most of us were trying to get the hell out, he was in the midst of a mud fight- COLD mud. I went back thru those pictures the other night and it made me laugh that EVERY one Max was either flexing his muscles or kissing his bicep. I am thankful that I got to know him at least a little bit, he was an absolute character, but with such a kind heart. He had many friends. It does seem to go hand in hand that someone who is so far from "normal" is so loved, he took everyone on a journey to a place where you didn't have to follow the rules, he left an undying gift, memories of laughter.

[clevedave]

I am posting this message from Max's Mother


"This goes out to all Max Sullivan's friends from all over - to everyone who knew him or knew of him - and especially to those I've come to know through him.
Our loss is immeasurable - the whole sky's shades darker - but we back East, who have learned so much about Max through the words of his friends on this site, want to join you in toasting and honoring him and the extraordinarily full life he led. We won't see the likes of him again and he will be missed each and every day.
I know he would have loved the spirit in which all of his friends have cried, laughed and reminisced.
Amy Sullivan (Max's mom)"

[ccat]

Thanks for everyone coming to Steamboat on Saturday. It was so good to see some old friends and meet some new ones, although it was a VERY difficult day, I think that Max would have been really happy. I have been meaning to post Max's family addresses:

Amy Sullivan(Max's mom)
Po Box 105
Sagaponack, NY 11962

Billy Sullivan(Max's dad)
Po Box 33
East Hampton, NY 11937.

Now everyone knows Max isn't really from Compton.

Cara

[Little Sarah]

I just wanted to post a HUGE "Thank You" to everyone for working together to give Max the farewell he deserved. Dave and Cara, I know it was extremely hard, but you pulled together as "pillars" and Gigante, your communication w/ his family is definately to be admired. Thank you for the food, laughter, and friendship. I know Max would've been proud of all of our drunken "performances", as well as the bonfire. (I don't know if he would've been as proud of the fire as your "piro" neighbor however.....Ha!)

I wish the circumstances could've been different, as we all do of course, but the obvious representation of love and support will never be forgotten, and Max was definately smiling down on us all...

Jared, Thank you for the t-shirts...great representation as well... This memorial for Max was just another reminder that we are truly a "family" here in Steamboat....May the rivers keep flowing, and thank you again everyone....

[Devon]

As mentioned at the memorial we are putting together a book of photos/stories/memories of Max to pass along to his family. Please send anything you want included in the album to:
Devon Purdy
PO 882656
Steamboat Springs, CO 80488
I will turn the album over to his parents on July 30th, after that date please mail memories directly to the family.