Mount Maunganui landslide: Uncle’s heartbreaking tribute marks teen’s 16th birthday

Wednesday, 28 January 2026

Mount Maunganui landslide victim Max Furse-Kee and uncle Puvi Nadason.

The uncle of Max Furse-Kee has shared a heartbreaking tribute to mark what would have been the teen’s 16th birthday, days after he was killed in the Mount Maunganui landslide.

In a post shared on social media, Puvi Nadason reflected on the bond he shared with his nephew, describing Max as his “best mate”, his “safe space”, and the reason he became a father.

“My boy. Today would’ve been your 16th birthday. I wanted the world to know how much you meant to me,” he wrote.

“You shaped me into the man I am today. Being your uncle was a privilege, and while people said you were lucky to have me, the truth is I was the lucky one.”

Nadason spoke of the everyday moments that defined their relationship, from reading Captain Underpants at bedtime to weekly basketball catch-ups, helping him propose to his wife, and standing beside him at his wedding.

Puvi Nadason said that his nephew shaped him into the man he is today.

“If I knew I could only get these 16 years with you, I’d do it all over again,” he wrote.

Max was one of six people presumed dead after a massive landslide swept through the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park last week. On Wednesday, he was formally identified as the first victim, after the recovery of what was believed to be his body earlier in the week.

Max and fellow 15-year-old Sharon Maccanico were students at Pakūranga College, which confirmed both were among those killed.

In a statement released through police, Max’s mother Hannah Furse said her son was her “sunshine”.

'Helping raise you was one of the greatest gifts of my life,' Puvi Nadason wrote.

“My love for Max is impossible to explain. No words are big enough to describe this love or loss,” she said.

Friends of the family have since launched a fundraiser to support Max’s mother and wider whānau, raising more than $24,000 in just hours.

In his tribute, Nadason said Max would always be remembered, especially by his young son.

“I’ll speak about you forever, especially to Avery, who you loved so much,” he wrote.

“You’re one of my best friends, baby. Always will be. Happy 16th birthday, Maxy. Love you forever.”