"On the evening of January 18, 2022, we learned that we had lost our beloved Maxwell Rasmussen: brother and son, grandson and great-grandson, nephew, cousin, student, and friend. Maxwell lost his life in the course of a stalwart and unrelenting battle against drug addiction. He was born to Russell and Jennifer Lynn Rasmussen on October 27, 1994, three weeks early and determined not to miss another moment of his life on earth. This exquisitely aware baby had little interest in sleep and absorbed every sight, sound, and sensation with an exhausting intensity that left his parents wondering if anyone in the household would survive his infancy. He had enormous, beautiful, bright blue eyes that helped earn him the nickname "Buggy." They rarely even blinked, as though precisely engineered to allow in as much of life as was humanly possible before crashing to a reluctant close each night. But his loving grandparents, aunts, uncles, and neighbors bravely joined a growing village of family and friends who loved him and who would help guide this precocious boy throughout his life. Grandma and Grandpa Lynn endlessly nurtured his love of music, supported the routines that comforted him, and indulged his lifelong fascination with cars, trains, airplanes, trucks, local school buses, and machines of any kind. Nana and Papa Rasmussen hosted weekly large, loving family gatherings and reinforced the preciousness of extended family and an appreciation for work done well. At 18 months old Maxwell moved with his parents to Cairo, Egypt, where his father pursued a postgraduate degree. Members of the Cairo Branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints generously opened their arms and hearts to this little family and peopled his fascinating new home-away-from-home. The family returned to Utah when he was nearly 3 years old and welcomed the first of his younger sisters, Abby. They settled on the Orem/ Vineyard border, and two years later the family welcomed his second younger sister, Paige. His love for his sisters was boundless and protective, and he longed to share every discovery and adventure with them. He was the bright-eyed, chirpy robin who would cheerfully wake them long before they were really done sleeping, simply because he couldn't wait any longer for their company. After his parents divorced in 2010, he gained an additional momma in his "Momma Rinn." Soon two beautiful twin baby sisters—Lolli and Reese—joined their family. He treasured the sweet drawings they produced just for him and the frequent conversations they shared; and they loved him dearly, without judgment and without guile. From his preschool beginnings through his high school and post-high school education, Maxwell was blessed with a stream of generous, gifted teachers. In both his school and church groups, his educators were true mentors who appreciated his challenges, gifts, enthusiasm, and curiosity. They saw in him a good-hearted human and a loyal friend to his classmates. He attended both Geneva and Hillcrest Elementary Schools, then moved on to Lakeridge and Canyon View Junior High Schools. An intense, highly competitive sportsman he was not: he had far too little interest in winning and found much more joy in socializing. Maxwell's laugh when he was delighted with someone or something was absolutely contagious. He loved neighborhood games with kids who would become adopted brothers and sisters, and he basked in the warmth of people whose words and actions left him feeling valued and important. His childhood passion for cars and motorcycles only grew stronger as Maxwell grew taller. Hot, dusty hours spent visiting summer car shows with his Grandpa Lynn rounded out his appreciation for beautiful vehicles from every era. He found peace in driving the winding roads of Provo Canyon, and he eventually lived a dream when he found himself behind the wheel of a Porsche, bound by no speed limits, on Germany's famous Autobahn. As he grew older, Maxwell discovered that he was a gifted and creative photographer and rejoiced in shared photo adventures with his sisters and his friends. Taking and editing a photo he was truly proud of brought him so much joy. He loved the unique challenges inherent in snowboarding and spent hundreds of hours on the slopes of nearby mountains; and after so many beautiful, breezy mornings on the golf course, he also became a proficient golfer. Maxwell graduated from Orem High School in 2013 and dreamed of a future in the world of computer programming. That bright and curious little boy became a young man who knew that he had the focus and creativity to become a programmer, and that remained his dream for years. Maxwell's childlike optimism and openness to fresh ideas and new experiences could occasionally feel like a double-edged sword, leading him fearlessly onto paths both known and unknown, smooth and rocky. Time spent in jail was enriched by interactions with deputies and work supervisors who treated him with kindness and respect and who appreciated his job skills, hard work, optimism, and openness to instruction. The hours he spent in the greenhouses and caring for shelter dogs fed his soul. He worked hard to make good use of the space and opportunities these life "anomalies" afforded him, and with the help of dedicated mentors from outside programs he eased into a safe, sober life afterward. Maxwell loved so deeply and felt pain so deeply, and perhaps more than anything he wanted so much to know that his loved ones were proud of him. He wrestled with anxiety and depression, both of which were exacerbated by increasing drug use, and vice versa. But in the last six months of his life, he found an extraordinary quiet and a peaceful, calm stability through coursework, friends, and instructors at a rehabilitation facility located in Mount Pleasant, Utah. His time in that small town gave him the tools and the permission he needed to remember who he was at his very core. He made heroic progress in some of the hardest work any of us can do: the work of examining his life and his choices, understanding who he was in each moment, realizing that he always had the power to create his own future. Most importantly he learned to forgive himself his past and his faults and to love himself without judgment and without guile. A friend who spoke with Maxwell in late 2021 related the following: "He was so hopeful about the future and expressed a lot of faith. He said he wanted to build his relationship with the Savior, which he said he missed. He expressed his gratitude for the love of his family. I asked him about future plans for school and work, and he had marvelous dreams of what he could do without the weight of his addictions. He asked for a blessing and a lovely gentleman who was with me gave him a beautiful blessing assuring him that he was known and loved and treasured by the Lord." Maxwell is survived by his mother, Jennifer Lynn Rasmussen; his father, Russell C. Rasmussen, and "Momma Rinn," Marin Ridd Rasmussen; his sisters, Abby (Spencer) Sheffield, Paige Rasmussen, Holland Rasmussen (Lolli), and Reese Rasmussen; and his grandparents, Ralph and Jamie Rasmussen, Barton D. Lynn, and Susan Ball Ridd. He was preceded in death by his grandma Lynne Croft Lynn and his grandpa Gordon Ridd. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the organization of your choice, or to one of the following organizations: - Food & Care Coalition: www.foodandcare.org or contact a Volunteer Coordinator at (801) 373-1825 for volunteer opportunities or current needs - General Tithing Fund or Perpetual Education Fund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints - Mountainlands Community Health Center: www.mountainlands.org - South Valley Utah County Animal Shelter: www.suvas.org - Steps Recovery Centers: Venmo @stepsrecoverycenters"