Max Sahinoglu

Maximilian C. Sahinoglu passed away unexpectedly in a car accident on Monday, March 9, 2026.

Max was born on December 20, 2008, in Chicago to Yigit Sahinoglu and Jennifer Ceran Sahinoglu, joining his proud older brother, Alex. He was raised in Barrington, Illinois, where life was all about sports, friends, and finding a way to make every day more fun. He made lifelong friends at Grove Avenue Elementary and Prairie Middle School and always looked forward to coming home to Barrington to hang out with them. Those friendships stayed with him and remained an important part of his life.

For high school, Max followed his brother Alex to Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire. Wherever Max went, he made an entrance. When he walked into a room, it got louder, funnier, and happier almost instantly. At Exeter, Max threw himself into campus life, building close friendships and making himself known far beyond the classroom and the soccer field. He was a proud Student Leader at Cilley Hall. Max loved soccer. He was a varsity soccer player, proudly rocking the #9 jersey. Max was a total force on the field, piling up many goals and assists in his final season. He played with confidence, intensity, and heart, and his teammates loved playing beside him.

Off the field, Max had a personality that was impossible to miss. He loved cracking jokes, making people laugh, and keeping the energy high. His music was always loud, his smile was always big, and his incredible head of hair had a personality of its own. Whether he was playing footy with his brother, gaming with friends, doing flips on the ski slopes, or being goofy with his cousins, Max brought fun and adventure everywhere he went.

What people will remember most, though, is his heart. Max was loving, understanding, and fiercely loyal. He was a true rock for his friends. He showed up for people. He listened when it mattered, lifted people up when they needed it, and had a way of making everyone feel included. He could brighten a day just by being himself.

The space Max leaves behind can never be filled, but neither can the joy, laughter, and unforgettable memories he gave to the people who loved him.

Max will be lovingly remembered by his parents and brother; his grandparents Mehmet and Gulnihal Sahinoglu and Gulcin Konan; his uncles and aunts Mert and Natalie Sahinoglu, Efe and Marci Sahinoglu, and Michael and Ahu Primeaux; his cousins Karl and Connor Sieg and Jacob, Stella, and Aria Sahinoglu; and the many friends, teammates, and classmates whose lives he touched, especially his FBG4L crew. Max was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Ayla Cildiroglu and Atakan Konan.

Visitation will be held Friday, March 13, 2026, from 10 AM until the time of the funeral service at noon at Davenport Family Funeral Home, 149 W. Main Street, Barrington, IL. Burial will follow immediately afterward at Evergreen Cemetery.

While Max loved Barrington, where he grew up, he cared deeply about the people and community at Exeter. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Phillips Exeter Academy in memory of Max Sahinoglu.

We will miss you forever Max. We love you so so so much!