The families of 15-year-old Sharon Maccanico and her boyfriend, Max Furse-Kee, have confirmed the heartbreaking news they prayed they would never hear. After a devastating landslide near Mount Maunganui, authorities informed the parents that both teenagers had been found with no signs of life. The two students from Pakuranga College were inseparable in everyday life, and tragically, they were taken together in the same moment.

For the families, the confirmation marked the end of a long, agonizing wait. In an emotional statement, Sharon’s parents described their grief with three words that have since echoed across the community: “Our hearts are broken.” Max’s family expressed similar devastation, calling the loss “unfathomable” and “something no parent should ever experience.”

The tragedy unfolded in seconds as a section of land collapsed in the Mount Maunganui area following heavy rainfall. Emergency teams worked tirelessly through the night, but the scale of the slide made the operation difficult. When the news finally reached the families, what remained was not hope, but the beginning of a reality no parent wishes to face.

Sharon and Max were well-known at their school, where they were often described as kind, gentle and deeply connected to one another. Friends say the two spent most of their time side by side — walking to class together, studying after school, and attending social events as a pair. Their bond was noticeable enough that teachers remembered them as “a team,” always supportive and rarely apart.

The news of their passing spread rapidly across the school community, prompting counselors to be made available to students impacted by the sudden loss. Administrators at Pakuranga College released a statement describing the teenagers as “bright lights” whose presence would be profoundly missed. Several teachers recalled their academic dedication and the warmth they brought into classrooms.

As the story gained attention, community members organized small gatherings to honor the teens. Candlelight vigils formed across Auckland, where classmates, neighbors, and strangers came to pay their respects. Flowers, handwritten notes, and school jackets were placed near the entrance of the college as a symbolic tribute to two young lives cut short.

But amid the mourning, one detail from the tribute left the community in tears.

Sharon’s family, in remembering her, mentioned a moment from her final weeks: she had told her parents she felt lucky “to grow up with someone who understands me completely,” referring to Max. It was a simple reflection from a 15-year-old girl — innocent, honest, and full of emotion — and now, with the context of the tragedy, the words took on a heartbreaking weight.

Max’s parents, too, shared a small but deeply touching detail: Max kept a folded note from Sharon in his school bag at all times. The note, written months earlier, reportedly said, “Thank you for being my person.” It was a message of youthful affection, but it resonated across the community as a symbol of the bond between the two teenagers.

These small, intimate memories became the emotional centerpiece of the tributes, illustrating the depth of the connection Sharon and Max shared — a connection that made the twin loss even more devastating.

Grief counselors say that such details often intensify community mourning, because they highlight the humanity of the victims beyond the headlines. The tragedy was not abstract; it involved two young people experiencing all the hopes, uncertainties and emotional milestones of adolescence. The thought that they faced a terrifying moment together, yet not alone, brought both sorrow and a bittersweet sense of closeness.

Residents near Mount Maunganui say the incident has renewed concerns about land stability in the area. While landslides are not uncommon in regions with steep terrain, the suddenness of this particular collapse shocked local officials. Investigators continue to examine soil conditions, rainfall intensity and slope movement to determine whether warning systems can be improved to prevent future disasters.

Meanwhile, the families of Sharon and Max are left to navigate an unimaginable loss. Friends say the parents of both teens have remained in close contact since the confirmation, finding strength in the fact that their children loved and cared for each other. They have requested privacy as they begin to plan memorial services.

Pakuranga College is preparing its own tribute to honor the pair, with school leaders considering a memorial garden, scholarship or plaque dedicated to their memory. Students have suggested planting two trees side by side on campus — a symbolic gesture reflecting the bond the two shared.

Within the wider Auckland community, the tragedy has sparked broader conversations about youth safety, emotional resilience, and the fragility of life. Social media has been filled with messages of sorrow and support. Many express disbelief that two teenagers full of promise could be taken so suddenly.

The impact of the tragedy ripples far beyond the families and school. For many, it serves as a sobering reminder that even young lives are vulnerable to the unpredictable forces of nature. Yet through the grief, the tenderness of Sharon and Max’s connection has provided a focal point for remembrance — one that brings both pain and a measure of solace.

As tributes continue to grow, the community holds on to the final symbolic detail: two young souls who walked through life together were not separated in their final moments. For those mourning them, that small, heartbreaking truth has become both a source of tears and a reminder of the depth of their bond.

Sharon Maccanico and Max Furse-Kee are being remembered not just for the tragedy of their passing, but for the love, kindness, and sweetness they carried into the world. In the weeks ahead, their families and friends will continue to share stories, hold vigils, and keep their memory alive.

For now, the message that echoes across their community remains the same as the words spoken by Sharon’s devastated parents: “Our hearts are broken.”