In a statement that has left New Zealand in tears, the mother of 15-year-old landslide victim Max Furse-Kee has revealed the agonizing final preparations that were ripped away in seconds: the family was excitedly planning his 16th birthday celebration when the catastrophic Mount Maunganui landslide struck, burying him alive under tons of mud and rock at a holiday park and extinguishing a bright young life forever.

“Always a good boy, a wonderful son, a devoted big brother to his little siblings – Max was the warm light in our family,” his mother Hannah Furse shared in a raw, emotional tribute released shortly after his formal identification. “We were getting ready for his 16th birthday this week – something we were all looking forward to celebrating together. Just days ago, my biggest fear was him getting his driver’s license soon. Now, life without him is impossible to imagine.” The words hang heavy, a mother’s love clashing violently with the cruel reality that her “sunshine” – the boy with the unforgettable smile and kind heart – was taken without warning on January 22, 2026.

Max Furse-Kee, a popular student at Pakūranga College in east Auckland and a dedicated player for the Pakuranga United Rugby Club, had traveled to the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park for what should have been a joyful summer getaway with his girlfriend, 15-year-old Sharon Maccanico – another victim still in the identification process. The two teens, inseparable classmates and young sweethearts, were among the six souls crushed when relentless rain saturated the volcanic slopes of Mauao (Mount Maunganui), triggering a massive, unstoppable slip that roared down in the morning hours, demolishing caravans, cabins, and lives in an instant.

The disaster unfolded with terrifying speed: heavy downpours – the wettest day on record for Tauranga – turned the ground into a saturated trap. At around 9:30 a.m., the hillside gave way, sending a wall of earth, boulders, and debris crashing into the popular campground below. Screams pierced the air as families fled; some escaped, but six did not. Emergency crews launched an immediate rescue, but within days the operation shifted to grim recovery – the weight and instability made survival impossible. Search teams waded through mud and rain for days, finally locating Max’s body on January 26. Forensic experts worked tirelessly, using DNA, dental records, fingerprints, and distinctive features to confirm his identity at a Tauranga District Court hearing on January 28 – the exact day he should have turned 16.

Deputy Chief Coroner Brigitte Windley presided over the somber proceeding, noting the heartbreaking coincidence: “Sadly, today he would have turned 16.” The court released his body to the family for funeral arrangements, but the pain is only deepening. Hannah Furse’s tribute paints a vivid portrait of the boy everyone adored: “From the moment I first looked into his beautiful blue eyes almost 16 years ago, he had my whole heart. He was my sunshine, an incredible, kind, and beautiful human being. We are endlessly proud of who he was and that he was ours.” Friends and rugby teammates echo her words, sharing memories of his infectious energy on the field, his quiet kindness off it, and the light he brought to every room.

The tragedy claimed six lives in total: Max and Sharon, both 15 and full of promise; literacy coordinator Lisa Anne Maclennan, 50, hailed as a hero for warning others; longtime friends Jacqualine Suzanne Wheeler and Susan Doreen Knowles, both 71; and Swedish tourist Måns Loke Bernhardsson, 20, who had only been at the site for two days. Formal identifications continue amid ongoing recovery efforts hampered by unstable terrain and persistent rain.

Communities across New Zealand are reeling. Pakūranga College and the rugby club have been flooded with tributes – photos of Max in action, messages of love, and fundraising pages that have raised tens of thousands in hours for the grieving family. Social media overflows with heartbreak: vigils at Pilot Bay and Coronation Park draw hundreds holding candles, staring toward the mountain that betrayed them. Hashtags like #MaxFurseKee and #MountMaunganuiLandslide trend as strangers and friends alike share stories: “He was always smiling, always helping – how can he be gone?” one viral post reads. Parents hug their children tighter, haunted by the fragility of life in the face of nature’s fury.

The disaster has ignited fierce debate: Should campsites sit so close to unstable volcanic slopes? Were warnings adequate during extreme weather? Authorities promise reviews of land-use policies, early-warning systems, and safety protocols, but for Max’s family, no inquiry can undo the loss. They were planning cake, balloons, laughter – a milestone birthday for their good boy, their big brother, their sunshine. Instead, they face a funeral, empty chairs at the table, and a lifetime of what-ifs.

Max Furse-Kee’s story is a gut-punch reminder: one moment of joy can vanish under a mountain of earth. A teenager on the cusp of 16, dreaming of driver’s licenses and futures, stolen in an instant. His mother’s words echo across the country – a warm light extinguished too soon, leaving darkness where there should have been celebration. As recovery drags on and memorials continue, New Zealand mourns not just a victim, but a boy who was everything to those who loved him most.

The family prepares now not for a party, but for goodbye. And in every tear, every tribute, Max’s light refuses to fade completely.