To everyone taking the time to read this: Hello, I am Max’s daughter, Kayla Morgan.
 
As life starts to settle again, and the dust starts to clear, the reality sinks in… My father; my children’s “Grumpy;” the infamous Mad Max is gone. The man who taught me what real music is like ABBA, Offspring, Metallica, and Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The man who taught me how delicious Mountain Dew, thin sliced peppered jerky, and peanut M&M’s are. The man who taught me great taste in old-school muscle cars. “Mopar or no-car” he’d say. The man who taught me about classic movies like Die Hard, Top Gun, Star Wars, The Fifth Element, and The Terminator. The man who taught me love. The man who taught me respect. I still love the smell of a garage, thanks to him. I still pump my arm at semi’s, thanks to him. I am a lot like my Dad… and now… now he’s gone… he’s really gone.
 
David Mahlon Maxwell aka “Max” was born May 19th, 1965 and passed April 30th, 2021. He lived life to its fullest, stayed true to himself, was as stubborn as they came, and had a heart of gold. He loved his grumplets so much (Noah age 11, Blake age 7, Trenton age 5, Grace age 2). He was always bragging about them to everyone he met. He loved to tease me because I’d have a “taste of my own medicine” raising them. I’d usually roll my eyes, laugh with him, and agree. My kids miss him so much. I brought home some of my dad’s shirts, durag’s, and hotwheel cars for them. We also welcomed his Pomeranian, Miss Emma, to our family. My dad was my biggest fan… One thing he always said to me was “I am so proud of you.” He’d say that Marshall (my husband) and I are doing such a good job raising his grumplets. My dad and my husband could talk for hours about everything a motohead talks about. He got a kick out of the fact I married someone as knowledgeable as he was. Those two sure loved each other in their own motohead way. My dad was quite the character. Everyone who knew him knew that he’d do anything for his family and anything for his brotherhood (he was a part of The Bikers Code). That man loved to ride his precious MaryAnn (motorcycle) any chance he got. He made friends with people all over the world. I know many are missing him right now.
 
My dad went into the hospital at the beginning of April. I flew down to Idaho on a last-minute flight from Alaska on April 9th. My goal was to get him settled into physical rehab, get him stronger, and to set him up for success to get better. When I left back to Alaska on the 18th, he was still in the physical rehab center. I told my Dad to fight through it and that I’d be coming back every month to check in and take care of things he needed done. My father was walking, talking, and still able to be his sassy self when I left… Unfortunately, in the short time I was back home, my father’s condition quickly and drastically declined. On April 29th, I caught the next flight back to Idaho. I stayed the night in his room with him, and less than 12 hours after I arrived, he passed. My hand was on his chest and I felt his final heartbeats...
 
In his final hours, we watched (he listened to) one of his favorites movie’s, Deadpool. We listened to Volbeat, Kansas’s “Hold On” (which is the song we danced to at my wedding) and other misc. music. We were kept company with phone calls, facetime, and messages that he received and I read to him. His final song he heard was “Spirit in the Sky” by Norman Greenbaum. If you don’t know that song, please take a minute to listen to it. That song is so very much the perfect song for my dad. My dad was never alone while I was back in Alaska those 11 days. He had family visiting him every day and taking care of him. I made it back just in time. I am so grateful I was able to be there during his final days. My husband, my children, his friends and family were all able to say their goodbye’s.
 
It still seems surreal. I am now faced with the task of writing his obituary, handling all of his property, organizing his celebration of life, and planning his final ride. On top of that, I have to handle his medical bills, debts, and ship his motorcycle to Alaska. Like my dad, I’m not one who can easily ask for help. I’m stubborn and prefer doing things on my own…. but I just can’t anymore. The bills are adding up. The tickets aren’t cheap to go to Idaho for the 3rd time this year, and this time it’ll be with all 6 of us (husband, 4 kids, and myself). Shipping his bike from Idaho to Alaska is expensive too, but that’s my connection to my dad so of course I’m not selling it. The time my husband and I have had to and will have to take off of work and still be able to cover our own responsibilities. It's all so much... So here I am, asking for help, if you can. If financially it’s not doable, then please share this GoFundMe.
 
Those who wish to follow along, I will keep you updated with photos and posts. His celebration of life and final ride will be for friends and family on the weekend of July 31st. Any contributions through here will be used to pay off bills, debts, his celebration of life, and will be used for additional support as needed. With whatever is left after priorities are taken care of, I am going to honor my dad’s phrase “give your children experiences, not stuff.” My family and I will fly from Utah to California. My children will get to meet their Great Grandpa Maxwell and Great Grandma Chris. During our entire trip, my children will get to meet all of their Maxwell family and have an experience they'll never forget. It is my job now to show them ‘the way,’ just like my Dad would have.
 
 
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
 
 
With Love,
Kayla, Marshall, Noah, Blake, Trenton, and Grace Morgan