Fox Creek send-off: Downhill mountain bike club pays tribute to Max Sullivan, 31

A mountain bike club in Adelaide has paid tribute to the 31-year-old man from Myrtle Bank after his shock death.

When 31-year-old Max Sullivan said goodnight to his housemates two weeks ago, no one realised it would be for the last time.

“They said he would have gone to bed, had a low and not realised where he was at, and that caused him some issues – he basically just went to sleep forever,” father Philip Sullivan said.

“Max had Diabetes 1, he had it since he was 15.

“As he grew, he was a typical young guy and thought he could control it and there were times he had lows and highs and didn’t feel them coming.

“He had a car accident some months ago coming home from work at the Entertainment Centre – he just blacked out from hitting a low.”

On the night Mr Sullivan died in his sleep, there had been no indication he was at risk.

“His mum, Meredith, was with him the night before.

“She picked him up from work, dropped him home, had a hug and a chat and then they were texting at about 10ish.

“Max said, I’m going to bed, he had a chat to his housemates.

“He was going to work the next day, he was in a really good place, feeling good.”

Mr Sullivan was supposed to start his shift at the Entertainment Centre at 11am the next day.

“His mum normally checked in on him, so she rocked up (to the house) around 3.30ish to see what was happening and found him.”

The unexpected death has hit the family hard, including brother Jack, who is only 18 months younger than Mr Sullivan.

Mr Sullivan’s father Philip said his son had fallen in love with bike riding as a child and received his first “trial” bike when he was eight or nine years old.

“From there, he just progressed.

Jack and Max Sullivan. Picture: Facebook

“They’d go down the hills, through various tracks which weren’t even there officially and then he joined the Inside Line Downhill Mountain Bike Club.

“He competed in some of their events.”

Although Max had stopped riding with the club years ago, some of his fondest childhood memories had been with them.

“Max still rode but not with the club, but the club is what got him started.”

On Saturday, the Inside Line Downhill Mountain Bike Club paid tribute to Mr Sullivan in Fox Creek – the young man’s favourite trail and spot.

Riders gathered around while a tribute was read out loud, before setting off together on their annual Chainless Champs race.

Mr Sullivan is remembered for having “a real social conscience”, prompting the family’s decision to encourage donations to be made to Hutt Street Centre in lieu of flowers.

“Donations in Max’s memory may be made to either the Hutt Street Centre or Inside Line Downhill Mountain Bike Club,” the family wrote.