What an emotional week it has been. A week ago 21 year old Max Pearson, son of dear friends of mine, was killed in a car accident when his car lost control and hit a tree in Savanake Forest - literally a stones throw from his family home. Although a few others in the car were seriously injured, thankfully they all survived. He was driving back to Marlborough on one of a few trips hed already made - back and forth ferrying home friends from a party. A party he hadnt even been at, but of course had answered the call and driven out to help stranded mates who needed a lift. That last sentence sums up everything you need to know about Max. A caring and sensitive man who considered his friends and family his most treasured and important priority in life. Having grown up in the Marlborough area myself and after many years living away but recently returning home to live here once again - Im only too aware of how close knit the local community is and therefore what an impact a tragedy of this magnitude can have. There have been tragedies before in the area that have caused ripples but this was different and I have to say nothing prepared me for last nights impromptu gathering - organised by Max’s close friends at the local Rugby Club. Two to three hundred people releasing scores of Sky Lanterns and Balloons with hand written personal messages to Max out into the night sky in a touching send off to the man they affectionately know as Fruit Bat. Driving to this gathering I have to say I felt a little nervous. I don’t claim to have known Max better than just to say hi to, but I guess on reflection the nerves I was experiencing were on behalf of his parents and immediate family. Of course - they’ve all endured a rollercoaster week with moments of surreal denial followed by uncontrollable sorrow when the reality takes hold – but as we walked up to the large group of people standing outside the Rugby Club and I put my arm around Max’s mum Stella she trembled a little – so it could have gone either way. Despite the bravery that I had found so awe inspiring each time I’d visited Stella and Guy (Max’s step father who you will all know from my account of our recent Cape Wrath adventure in Scotland) over the last week – there is no denying that they, along with Rich (Max’s biological father) are broken people at the start of a long journey whose road will surely get rockier as time goes on. However, for tonight, the floodgates were mostly held by the countless tributes, the open affection, the positive uplifting atmosphere from hundreds of friends and family who came together in absolute unity to say goodbye to their beloved son, grandson, nephew and mate – Max Pearson. Like I said I didn’t know Max well but I found the situation and the shear raw emotion completely overwhelming. I don’t often cry, in fact I don’t recall the last time I did, but as numerous red and white beacons of light lifted off into the sky accompanied by cheers from the masses I looked across at Stella’s smiling face and couldn’t stop several tears from rolling down my face. It was a moment of beauty and light in a week that has otherwise been grey and bleak. Wherever you are Max - know that your friends and family will always be thinking of you. RIP
Posted on: Sat, 29 Nov 2014 09:56:31 +0000
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