Max passed away on February 4, 2017 in Toronto at the age of 29, after a long chronic illness. He was layed to rest at the Pardas Chaim Cemetry in Toronto. He was Born in Saskatoon on August 6, 1987, the son of Jeffrey & Jennifer Hesselson. Max had two siblings, Daniel a molecular geneticist at the Garvan institute in Sydney Australia, married to Stephanie. They have two daughters Etta and Cora and his sister Leila, a Family Medicine Resident at Dartmouth College, Concord, New Hampshire where she lives with her partner Caroline. Max was the youngest in the family. Growing up he was always very competitive with his siblings, he tried to emulate and admired them immensely. They enjoyed his off beat sense of humour and his brilliant mind. Max finished high school with an International Baccalaureate Diploma and boasted the highest marks amongst his siblings. Max had a finance degree from McGill University and went on to study Mechanical Engineering at the University of Toronto. Unfortunately his health did not allow him to finish his degree. Max was an excellent tap dancer, he played a mean trumpet and loved his piano and piano teacher Dianne Gryba. Growing up he enjoyed cycling and became very adept at unicycling especially after a wager that he would not be able to master it in 3 days. At age 3 we could tell he would be a fearless skier and snowboarder. He also took up golf with great enthusiasm and of course had to have the biggest driver. He was also an excellent poker player and would stay up many nights both winning and losing tournaments. Max loved music, he idolised Bob Dylan and enjoyed the Blues and curated an extensive vinyl collection. He loved speed and his Ducatti motorcycle much to his parent鈥檚 chagrin. Max was known for his slow cooking and was renowned for his Beef Wellington, brisket and roasts on his 鈥淕reen Egg鈥�. He loved nature and hiking the West Coast Trail 听and camping with his father on the Churchill River. He loved going up to the North West Territories to the Lodge on Wignes Lake. Max was a very complex, articulate individual, always willing to debate on any subject. Max had a brilliant mind and was very articulate in expressing himself in writing. He was well known for the resumes he wrote for his classmates. After moving to Toronto and meeting Sue, he regarded himself as a hipster and dressed accordingly. Max never harmed an animal or human. He loved his dogs Ashur and Heidi. He was kind and generous to a fault and always willing to help out others in need. He was not religious but had his Barmitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Max lived his life like a syncopated rythym. He tapped sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes erratic but he sure could go. Max expressed it more eloquently in a poem he wrote:
White brotha tappa, syncopate n鈥� slyde,
Rythm findin鈥� masta, makin鈥� taps collide
Skinny boy hiitin鈥�, seven-ball riff,
Feet barely liftin鈥�, shiggy-bop-shoes-stiff,
Damn little hoofa, do your thing,
Music poundin鈥� drumma, double scuff, PING!
Floor stompin 鈥榙anca鈥�, gimme a show,
Coltrane enhanca, you gotts tha flow,
White brotha tappa, syncopate n鈥� slyde,
Hittin鈥� it, now fasta, double beat in stride.
听
We would like to dedicate Bob Dylan's song
鈥淔orever Young鈥� to the memory of Max
Loved and remembered by his loving mom and dad Jennifer and Jeffrey. His sister Leila, brother Daniel, sister in law Stephanie and nieces Etta and Cora. His grandmother Edythe Hesselson. He was predeceased by his grandparents Pauline and Harry Levin and Isaac Hesselson his uncles David & Ivor Levin. He's lovingly remembered by his beloved uncle Gary and aunty Brenda Faktor, aunty Cookie and uncle Sid Flax. His aunty and Godmother Beverley and uncle Mark Levine. Aunty Rene and Maurice Garber, uncle Robert and aunty Sandy Levin, uncle Selwyn Levin and aunty Shereen Levin. His devoted cousins Cory and Candy Marr, Lisa Faktor, Marc Faktor, Brett and Cara Levin, Andy and Johnny Koukoulis, Darron Levin and Brady. Nicole Flax, Romi and Jade Levin, cousins Shannon (Daniella) Garber, Dylan (Olga) Garber, Josh (Shrran) Garber. His Godfather Stephen Kaye. His special friends Sue Harris and Maxine Shaw. The Hall, Katzeff, Myers and Gryba families. Lovingly remembered by Catherine Morton. Max will be sorely missed by his exceptional Toronto and Battleford group of friends and acquaintances and mentors. Memorial Donations are requested to Battleford Union Hospital Foundation Inc., Box 1358 North Battleford Sask. S9A 3L8. Arrangements have been entrusted to Steeles Memorial Chapel. Condolences may be made at steelesmemorialchapel.com
