By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/26/08
Gari Brindle said her son, Maxwell Knickerbocker Brindle, will be remembered for many strong traits – including his work ethic, his humor and his zest to take on new challenges.
Mr. Brindle, 20, of Wayne, died June 18 as a result of neck injuries from a bicycle accident
in Radnor Township. A former student in the Radnor School District who eventually graduated from a New England prep school, Mr. Brindle recently completed his freshman year at Drexel University where he was a defender on the lacrosse team.
One of Mr. Brindle’s favorite places, his mother said, was Camp Pasquaney, an all-boys’ camp in Hebron, N.H.
“He loved that camp and he went there for three summers, when he was 13, 14 and 15.” said Mrs. Brindle. “It was a very old, traditional camp with no electricity and it was fantastic because he was so active.
“They went on hikes and went sailing and swimming at the waterfront. He loved learning new things and physically challenging himself. That’s the type of kid Max was – he’d learn to snowboard, ride horses or anything that presented itself.”
Mr. Brindle first took up lacrosse at the middle school level and attended Radnor High School for two years before spending one year at the Oakley School in Oakley, Utah.
“They did have a lacrosse team out there and Max was named Defensive Player of the Year for the whole state,” said Mrs. Brindle. “He was so modest and he’d say, ‘But mom, it’s Utah.’
“The funny thing was that he actually ran cross country in the fall. We liked to say he ran cross country like a football player.”
Brindle later attended Salisbury School in Connecticut where he was graduated. Mr. Brindle was a First Team All-New England selection as a senior and was named his team’s Defensive Player of the Year. He also played football, where he was an All-League selection and the team’s Defensive MVP at linebacker.
This year for Drexel, the powerfully-built, 6-foot-2 Mr. Brindle played in five games as a defender, but had stamped himself as a player with a strong future. Also strong academically, Mr., Brindle was enrolled in the LeBow College of Business at Drexel.
“He took prep work very seriously,” said Mrs. Brindle. “He was diligent in his training. Some thought weight training may be tedious, but I am not sure he ever missed a workout. That was part and parcel of the whole sport.”
One of Mr. Brindle’s great talents was mimicking famous characters and people. He could do a great imitation of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Kermit the Frog, and also enjoyed mimicking his coach at Salisbury, his mother said.
Mrs. Brindle also noted that her son – who was working at the Verizon store in Wayne – was a huge Phillies fan and had been to Clearwater with the family for spring training several times.
Besides his mother, Mr. Brindle is survived by his father, Peter and mother Gari; a sister, Alex; an aunt and uncle, Becca and Tom Lieb; and cousins Nikki, Jessi, and Zack Lieb.
A life celebration will be at 10 a.m. July 4 at the Willows, 490 Darby-Paoli Rd., Villanova.
Memorial donations may be made to Camp Pasquaney Scholarship Fund, 19 Pasquaney Lane, Hebron, N.H. 03241.
