I admired Max Henderson, though I didn’t really know him.

I learned most about him through his family’s social media posts, and I found him to be a profound soul, a bright person, someone who loved greatly and had a passion for horses. He was funny and quirky and shared his smile easily. Viewing videos in which he was the star, I found myself laughing hysterically and marveling at his personality.

Just as I’d learned more about him, social media was how I learned about his death Sunday evening. Max died after being involved in a horse accident earlier that day. He was 7 years old.

Now his parents, Shane and Missi Henderson, and his little brother, Murph, will forever mourn the loss of this little gem. Parents aren’t supposed to bury their children, but the Hendersons will, and I hurt for them.

God gained another angel tonight, but hearts ache, and everyone who has ever been touched by Max Henderson will need all the love they can get.