The mother of 15-year-old Max Furse-Kee, one of the victims of the catastrophic landslide at Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park, has spoken publicly for the first time since his body was recovered — and her words have left New Zealand in collective tears.
In an emotional interview with NZ Herald on January 26, 2026, Sarah Furse-Kee expressed profound gratitude to the search teams who worked tirelessly for days to bring her son home. “Thank you for bringing my son home,” she said, voice cracking. “I know how hard it was. I know what you went through to find him. I’ll never forget that kindness.”
Max was among the campers buried when a massive wall of mud, rock, and uprooted trees crashed down the slopes above the popular holiday park shortly after 5:00 a.m. on January 23. The slide, triggered by 72 hours of torrential rain saturating the steep volcanic terrain, swallowed tents and vehicles in seconds. Max’s last recorded moments were captured on a family friend’s phone: the boy laughing and kicking a soccer ball with friends near the tent line, turning toward the camera with a big smile — then suddenly looking up the slope as the rumble began. He dropped the ball, shouted “Everyone, get up! Move!” and ran back toward the tents to warn others. That final glance back — checking if his friends were following — is the detail now haunting rescuers and the nation. “He could have kept running to safety,” one search team member said. “But he stopped, looked back, made sure the others were moving. That split-second decision… it breaks your heart.”
Sarah described Max as “happy, kind, and full of light.” He was the protective big brother to his 4-year-old sister Lily, always carrying her on his shoulders, reading her dinosaur books, and promising he’d always come home. “He was her anchor,” Sarah said. “She still stands at the door every night waiting for him. She asks ‘When is Max coming home?’ I don’t know how to answer her. She thinks he’s on a long adventure. I can’t bear to tell her the truth yet.”
The landslide claimed at least four lives, with 14 survivors pulled from the debris, many in critical condition. Multiple children, including Max, remained missing for days. Search teams — using sniffer dogs, drones, thermal imaging, and heavy machinery — worked through rain and unstable ground. The scale of the slide and ongoing instability made every recovery operation high-risk and agonizingly slow.
Sarah spoke of the moment she learned Max had been found: “They told me they’d recovered him. I just kept saying thank you, thank you. I needed him home. Even if it was just to say goodbye.” She praised the woman who ran through the campsite at 5:00 a.m., waking people up before the slide hit — a heroic act credited with saving multiple lives, though the woman herself was buried and later recovered deceased.
Geologists attribute the disaster to extreme saturation of the slopes following days of heavy rain. Emergency Management Minister Kris Faafoi has announced a full independent review of the campsite’s safety protocols, evacuation plans, and warning systems.
A Givealittle page for victims’ families has raised over NZ$900,000 for medical costs, funerals, and support. A memorial vigil continues to grow along the beach, with ribbons, candles, and notes reading “Rest in peace Max” and “You were loved.”
Sarah ended the interview with a final, gut-wrenching reflection: “He was my happy boy. He loved life. He loved his sister. He loved helping people. Now he’s gone because the mountain took him. I just want him to know we’re proud of him. And I want Lily to know her big brother was a hero — even in his last moments.”
New Zealand mourns its lost children and prays for healing. A mother’s grief, a little sister’s endless waiting, and a boy’s final act of bravery have left a permanent mark on Mount Maunganui — and on every heart that heard his story.
Rest in peace, Max Furse-Kee. Your courage, your kindness, and your love for your baby sister will never be forgotten.
