US Border Patrol Agent Maxwell Zakar unexpectedly passed away January 2nd, 2024 at 37 years old. Maxwell Thomas Zakar, "Max,"  was born on September 15th, 1986 in San Diego, CA. From an early age, Max had such a zest for life and a hunger for achieving anything he set his mind to. He was always a dare devil and according to his mother, Debbe, he spent more time in the ER than all of his brothers combined.

Max attended elementary school at John Murr alternative magnet school in Kearney Mesa, CA. When Max was in 7th grade, he moved to Ramona, CA and attended Olive Peirce middle school where he met the love of his life, Claudia. The two were inseparable from the age of 13, talking on the phone every night until they both fell asleep. Max and Claudia always knew they were soulmates and got married at the age of 19.

Max attended Ramona High school where we played football and ran track. After wrapping up his high school football career, Max became a card dealer working at various casinos in the San Diego area including Barona, Viejas, and Pala . Through his years of card dealing, Max knew in his heart there was a bigger mission for him in this life.

Max had a strong passion for protecting his country and began to pursue a career in the US Border Patrol. This was something he set his mind to and he was going to make it happen. Max had been denied 8 times to get into the US Border Patrol, but continued to pursue what he knew was his calling. In the meantime, Max kept pursuing his other professional goals and successfully obtained his helicopter pilot license, his personal trainer certification, and his real estate license. His resilience in pursuing the US Border Patrol enabled him to become a US Border Patrol agent in 2019.

Agent Zakar entered active duty on December 2, 2019, with Class 1141 at the Calexico Border Patrol Station, US Border Patrol El Centro Sector. Max was able to achieve anything he believed in, and among all his various accomplishments, his role of being a dedicated father to his sons Roman and Jaxon was by far his proudest. Everything Max did, he did for his family. Playing baseball, basketball, and every other active venture with his sons was his favorite pastime. Max's greatest passion in his life was raising his sons.

Maxwell Zakar is survived by his wife, Claudia, and their two sons, Roman and Jaxon.

He is also survived by his two brothers, Nick and Morgan, his parents Debbe Cannone and Barry Zakar and his entire Border Patrol family. He will be greatly missed, but he lives on through so many that he greatly impacted.

The celebration of life for Maxwell Zakar will be held on Monday, January 15th at 9:30am am at Shadow Mountain Church in El Cajon, CA. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the go fund me set up for Max's wife and children.

The link to donate is https://gofund.me/764f9b19.