"My first year teaching I was lucky enough to have the fun, goofy, (talkative!!) and lovable Max Gruver in my class.😊This class was so special, my parents still have this picture up on their fridge in NH twelve years later! Rae Ann was my first ever room mom, and she truly helped me survive that first year! Rae Ann and Max, and then Stephen, Alex, and Lily Kate took me into their family, a girl who was a long way from home, and showed me how to love life in GA. The love that they all showed me over the years and the way I was able to watch all of the kids grow up was awesome. The closeness that ensued is something I will always cherish...especially when Rae Ann dressed up as me for Halloween!😁 The news of Max was so surreal and sad to hear. This could not be my Max, can't be. The sadness I feel I know is only 1% of what his family is feeling and that breaks my heart even more. I wanted to do something that would make what has happened to Max not be in vain, because he would want to help others. The 5th grade at SAE always leaves a legacy gift, and this year we are doing something with kindness. Max is whom I have in mind as we are having discussions about what we will do. As a teacher, I promise to you Max, and to the Gruver family, that EVERY single child I teach will know that they MUST have the COURAGE to CHOOSE kindness. It will be at the forefront of my message as a teacher so that when they leave my classroom, they will know who Max is and how he treated others, and what their role needs to be as a friend to someone else. Max and the Gruvers have made my life better and I have so many wonderful memories of sweet Max, and from this sadness, I hope to make all of them proud of how I remember Max! Love you Gruvers, more than you know!😙"

-Rebekah Sexton