Thank you to everyone that has sponsored Max's Mudders. The amount raised is absolutely amazing, and far exceeds what we had hoped for.  

The team were fantastic. The amount of training that everyone put in was unbelievable, and as a result they completed the course in 3 hours. They were always together, went through all the obstacles as a team, and ran through the finish line as a team, straight towards a nice cold beer! 

Myself and James would lie to thank you for taking part in memory of Max, it was lovely seeing his little face on all the t shirts, and we really do appreciate it.

xxxx

Max died suddenly in his sleep on 21st March 2012. He was only 3 years old. 

He was a lovely little boy who touched the lives of all who knew him, and he is missed every day.  It's very hard to live without him and see his little face and hold his hand.

Below is a little about him:

Max was Brave:

One of Max's many catch phrases was "I'n aww-wite". On his last day he went to his swimming lesson with Aaron, and on the way to collect Aaron from school he fell over on some stones. He wanted to be brave, so he got up, dusted himself off and said 'I'n aww-wite'. It was only when at swimming that the extent of the damage could be seen,  a big red mark and a cut to his knee. Little Max just took it in his stride. 

Aaron and Max were playing at the park, and enjoying bouncing on the little trampoline. An older girl came over and took over the trampoline, bouncing too high for the boys to go on as well. They both stood there, Aaron head down, hands behind back, waiting for her to go away in her own time. Max had no such intention, and looked up at her and shouted 'Get off!!', much to Aaron's horror. She didn't get off, but he showed a complete lack of fear when challenged by someone twice his size.

He was Passionate:

Max was such a feisty, spirited boy. Everything he did was at 100% - laughing, crying, shouting, throwing, anything. He loved to sing, but never quietly or under his breath, he would do his best to belt it out.

He held his own comfortably with his older brother in many an argument, but never a fight. There were a lot of tantrums - if Max did or didn't want want to do something enough, there was only ever one winner. It was very simple in his mind - if we said no to something, he would respond with 'But I want to!'. This was usually followed by another no, to which he replied 'but I do!'. In Max's mind it was a simple logic, he couldn't understand why he hadn't just won the argument with that. But we loved and admired his passion, and know that he would have been so good at whatever he had chosen to do in life. 

He was Tough:

Max was so proud of his new big boys bunk bed which he shared with Aaron, he would show everybody that came to the house, regardless of whether they had seen it already or not. Some evenings after they'd gone to bed, there would be a sudden clatter of little arms and legs hitting the bedroom floor, Max had fallen out of bed. Not one to make a fuss though, he would quite happily lay on the floor, and go back to sleep. 

So, when Simon and Mark, friends of Max's daddy, mentioned that they had entered the Tough Mudder, and would like to run in memory of Max, it seemed a very fitting tribute to him, and so he decided to join them, as have many others.

Tough Mudder is no mean feat.....

Tough Mudder events are hardcore 10-12 mile obstacle courses designed by Special Forces to test your all around strength, stamina, determination, and camaraderie. As the leading company in the booming obstacle course industry, Tough Mudder has already challenged half a million inspiring participants worldwide. But Tough Mudder is more than an event, it’s a way of thinking. By running Tough Mudder, you’ll unlock a true sense of accomplishment, have a great time, and discover a camaraderie with your fellow participants that’s experienced all too rarely these days.

FACT #1- Marathons are boring.

And the only thing more boring than doing a marathon is watching a marathon. Road-running may give you a healthy set of lungs, but will leave you with as much upper body strength as Keira Knightley. At Tough Mudder, we want to see what you’re made of, not just your ability to run in a straight line, on your own, for hours on end, getting bored out of your mind. Our obstacle courses are designed by the Special Forces to test you in every way and are meant only for truly exceptional all-around people, not for people who have enough time and money to train their knees to run 26 miles.

FACT #2 – Mudders℠ do not take themselves too seriously.

Triathlons, marathons, and other mud runs are more stressful than fun. Not Tough Mudder. At Tough Mudder, we meet you at the finish line with a pint and a live band. It’s pretty hard to take yourself seriously when you’re covered in mud and have just finished an obstacle called ‘Just The Tip’, so please don’t show up at a Tough Mudder without a sense of humor. 

FACT #3 – You cannot complete a Tough Mudder course alone.

To get through mud, fire, ice-water, and 10,000 volts of electricity you’ll need teammates to pick you up when morale is low. To get over 12 foot walls and through underground mud tunnels, you’ll need teammates to give you a boost and a push. Tough Mudders are team players who make sure no one gets left behind. To that end, all Mudders℠ are expected to uphold our ideals and exhibit teamwork and camaraderie both on the course and off it. All participants are asked to join us in reciting the Tough Mudder pledge before starting each event.

Now, there is a team running for Max, friends, workmates, family, and  some who didn't have the pleasure of knowing him.  A team event whose members have all come together for Maxy, and we couldn't be more grateful.  

All money raised is being donated to the South Central Ambulance Trust, details of which can be found at the top of the page.  Max had made use of ambulances quite a few times in his short life, due to suffering some febrile convulsions, and he was always very well cared for. On the night he died amongst the chaos and shock that accompanies a sudden death, and especially that of a child, the many ambulance crews that came out to him could not have done more to try and save him. 

So, we would like to try and raise as much as we can in his name, because he was an amazing little boy, and although his life was short, he will never be forgotten.

Thank you.