WESTBROOK, Minnesota (STPNS) --     Special  — The common flu seldom kills healthy young people. Tom and Melanie Schwolert and their family were visiting Melanie's parents in Amery, Wisconsin for the holidays when their 17 year old son, Max, fell ill on  the way to his grandparents Dave and Dixie Tieg.         After arriving he took a pain reliever for his symptoms and seemed to feel better the next day. On Christmas Day he felt good enough  to participate in family activities. However that evening Max he woke up with a high fever and was taken to the local hospital where he tested positive for the flu.



    Within a half hour his kidneys started to fail and his blood pressure dropped very low. He was then taken by helicopter to Regions Hospital where he spent four days in intensive care. Max picked up bacterial infection which led to septic shock, taking his life on December 29.

    Melanie Teig Schwolert is the daughter of Dave and Dixie Teig. Dixie is a sister to Sue Johnson, Steve Severson, and Junior Severson.

    Max’s uncle, Phil Schwolert, wrote on Max’s Caring Bridge site about how the family established the “Love to the Max” youth ministry fund at Faith Lutheran Church in Flower Mound, Texas. Max’s father Tom is a youth pastor at Faith Lutheran. “Love to the Max” is intended to support youth ministry through the church. Funds will be managed by the church. Over  780 shirts have been sold and more have been ordered.

    If you wish to support “Love to the Max” ministry, please clearly mark your check with “Love to the  Max” in the memo line and send to:

Faith Lutheran Church

6000 Morris Road

Flower Mound, TX 75028

    If you would like to help the Schwolerts with their medical expense you can go to  gofundme.com and type in Max Schwolert family,  or Pray for Max.

    Some information was taken from Caring Bridge and other news sources.