Brian "Max" Katuwon

Our precious “Max” Brian Maxwell Katuwon was born May 6, 2018 in Phoenix Arizona. He passed on to his next journey on August 24, 2018. We were so honored to be asked to be your guides and guardians during your sojourn on earth. Your journey may have begun in the Marshall Islands, but it ended in our hearts and our family, a welcome guest who so gratefully helped fill a great dark void that ached to be filled with love again.

Your presence, although brief, has been a true blessing. You provided us the opportunity to serve another of God’s precious souls who needed us almost as much as we needed you. Your light shown through that dark place and touched many more lives than ours alone. You brought with you divine light that cannot be kept hidden. You let that glorious light shine to everyone with whom you came in contact. Your physical presence may have been limited to a secure room in two hospitals, but that didn’t stop you from touching numerous lives and hearts with the love you simply couldn’t contain within your struggling little body, and desired to share with others. Your incredible strength strengthened all of us.
You taught us the meaning of ministering – to serve as Christ did, to love our neighbor as ourselves, to provide for the poor, the orphaned, the lonely, the “least.”  You opened the windows of heaven to everyone who took the time to minister to you with an open heart and allowed us to feel heaven’s love radiate through you.  As Christ promised, we received so much more than we gave. Your influence will continue on in numerous lives for many years to come.
Your sweet presence allowed additional opportunities for service and kindness toward other fellow travelers.  Connections were made and lives touched all around you because you were willing to continue your struggle and sacrifice for as long as you did. It wasn’t easy for you and required tremendous suffering on your part, but because of your willingness to do God’s will and endure to the end, you brought about more “opportunities right in our way.” Many of us were blessed to not “let them pass by,” but to do something to ease the suffering or sorrow of others.

Your life made a difference and your sacrifice did not go unnoticed.
Not only did we witness miracles because of you, but so did others who may have needed a reminder that miracles do happen. You were God’s living proof to everyone, including your medical providers that He is in charge, and when all is said and done it doesn’t matter what your chances are of surviving one surgery or five, prayers are answered, miracles are granted, and God is the great Physician!

We love you Max. We thank the Lord for allowing all of us to be part of your sweet life. You did more with your 3 ½ months than many people do in a lifetime.  We join with Jeffrey Holland in looking forward to the day “when loved ones whom we knew to have disabilities in mortality will stand before us glorified and grand, breathtakingly perfect in body and mind.  What a thrilling moment that will be! I do not know whether we will be happier for ourselves that we have witnessed such a miracle or happier for them that they are fully perfect and finally “free at last.”  Until that hour when Christ’s consummate gift is evident to us all, may we live by faith, hold fast to hope, and show “compassion one of another.” God bless you sweet Maxwell.

Graveside Services will be held Saturday, September 1, 2018 at Tonaquint Cemetery at 12:00 p.m.