Corpsman Maxton “Max” Soviak was from Berlin Heights, Ohio. He was a 2017 graduate of Edison High School in Milan, Ohio. He excelled at academics and athletics, participating in four sports, including football, track, tennis, and wrestling. He was a member of the band and made the honor roll. Soviak also earned a two-year certificate in electrical technology from EHOVE Career Center, which he completed during his junior and senior years.
He was honored during a football game shortly after the bombing.
According to his family, Soviak was “proud to serve in the U.S. Navy. He was excited about the opportunities the Navy would offer him and planned to make the Navy a career.” His plan, according to friends, was to be a highly trained medic assigned to Marine infantry platoons. He was currently serving as a Fleet Marine Force (FMF) corpsman.
Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class, Christian Donald, worked together with Soviak in the immunization department at Naval Hospital Guam. They went through medical training together about one year ago and were squad leaders during Combat Trauma Management Course.
Said Donald, “He was exceptionally athletic […] and competed in some Armed Forces events in Guam. He was competitive, but in a way that was humble and quiet. He was always causing some sort of shenanigans to make others smile. He had a lot of pride in what he did.”
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) made a public announcement shortly after the news of Soviak’s death saying, “Max Soviak, a Navy Fleet Marine Force Hospital Corpsman from Berlin Heights, died a hero serving his country and working to save the lives of those fleeing imminent danger. My thoughts are with his family, who received the hardest news any parent can hear. May the lives he worked to save be a comfort to all who knew and loved him. His selflessness and heroism will be his legacy.” In a heartbreaking Instagram post, Marilyn Soviak, Max’s older sister wrote this about her brother: “I’ve never been one for politics and I’m not going to start now. What I will say is that my beautiful, intelligent, beat-to-the-sound of his own drum, annoying, charming baby brother was killed yesterday helping to save lives.”
“He had a lot of pride in what he did.”
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Photos courtesy of:
coffeeordie.com and Cleveland.com
