Grief is a universal human experience that touches nearly everyone in some way. It can be such an isolating and lonely feeling, and there are so many ways people try to combat these ever-present emotions.
One such way of dealing with grief comes from Sutton Fineran and Dylan Petro. Sutton’s husband and Dylan’s best friend, Max Fineran, tragically passed away in 2024. Sutton, with a baby on the way, decided to turn her grief into something that would not only honor her husband, but also continue to grow so her son could always have a piece of the father he never got to meet, while helping other grieving families along the way.
Enter Max’s Magic, a foundation built to remember Max while making a difference in the community.
“My husband was really into giving back to others,” Sutton said. “He was super lovable and always wanted to have fun but also always giving back and being a big part of our community.”
Sutton shared that, aside from community, Max also loved Disney and the beach. Because of that, the two organizations Max’s Magic supports are One Last Wave Project and Snowball Express.
One Last Wave Project’s mission is to help grieving families cope with the loss of a loved one who had a deep connection to the ocean or nature. They etch their names onto locally hand-shaped surfboards and carry them out into the ocean to catch a symbolic last wave.
Snowball Express is a Gary Sinise Foundation program that creates special Disney trips for military families experiencing the loss of a loved one.
“Both of these organizations I felt tied into my husband’s hobbies and things he liked while also helping grieving families, which I unfortunately know firsthand what that feels like and what support is needed,” Sutton said.
While the foundation itself is new, both Sutton and Dylan already have goals in mind to continue carrying out Max’s legacy.
For Sutton, her main goal is for her son to eventually become a part of the foundation as well.
For Dylan, he hopes to bring more events and fun to the organization as well, sharing the love of summer and the good times that Max loved most.
“I hope to make Max’s Magic something that facilitates more joyful experiences in South Jersey. By bringing in local businesses and nonprofits with events and things,” Dylan said. “One big pillar of Max was that he was a huge supporter of everything local and loved South Jersey so much.”
While the foundation has already made headway by connecting with and donating to two organizations, they are now diving into the event side with their first kickoff celebration.
On Aug. 8, from 4 to 7 p.m., everyone is welcome to head to Sweetwater Marina Deck for the foundation’s kickoff event, Sunset Social.
They shared that beaches and sunsets were a big part of what Max loved. Summer was his favorite time of year, and he loved any opportunity for a local gathering. The event honors those parts of who he was while also bringing the community together. There will be live local music, food, drinks and raffle baskets donated by numerous local businesses.
Dylan shared that a night like the one planned for Aug. 8 would have been one of Max’s favorite ways to spend a summer evening. Between the beauty of a summer sunset, the fun atmosphere and the gathering of the community, Max’s presence will be felt as the foundation kicks off its mission of making a difference.
“My biggest driver through this is my son. My son unfortunately never got the chance to meet my husband, and for me, this was a way for people to come together, for people to talk about my husband and remember him in a way where my son will be able to hear and learn about him,” Sutton said. “Both of these organizations deal with grief and support other families that know what this feels like. Grief feels very lonely most of the time, so if there is something I can do to help and provide a feeling of community I’m more than happy to do that.”
Delaney Crawford is a dynamic entrepreneur with a passion for storytelling and digital marketing. Driven by a desire to empower local businesses, Delaney founded DLC Media, a company dedicated to helping businesses enhance their brand image and thrive online.
