Family, friends say goodbye to 'free spirit'

Family members Sunday described David Maxwell as a free spirit who did what he wanted, when he wanted.

Late Friday, while looking out at the clear Lake Michigan water on one of the last official days of summer, Maxwell decided he wanted to go for a swim.

The 21-year-old Waukegan man was living for the moment. Approximately 20 minutes later, police say Maxwell drowned.

"He was an artsy type, a free spirit," said his sister, Maggie Maxwell, 24. "I think while that was a dangerous quality, it was also a good quality. His 21 years here were fruitful. David really enjoyed life."

Rescuers from Kenosha, Racine and Lake counties searched throughout the night Friday and found Maxwell under 7 feet of water around 10 a.m. Saturday.

He and two friends, both Gurnee men, had been listening to music at Carol Beach in Pleasant Prairie, Wis., around 11 p.m. Friday when Maxwell reportedly decided to get into the water.

According to the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department, Maxwell had been in the water for about 20 minutes when he began yelling for help.

His friends entered the water and one of the men was able to locate Maxwell but couldn't pull him to shore, police say.

The men did not want to be interviewed by the Daily Herald Sunday.

"Both have been over this weekend," said Mary Maxwell, David's mother. "I think they feel some guilt that they didn't have a better outcome. They view it as a failure, but you can't second guess the situation."

Maxwell lived with his mother and sister in Waukegan. His father, Monty Maxwell, lives in Round Lake.

A service is planned for Maxwell at the Waukegan lakefront Saturday. A picnic will follow.

As of Sunday evening, the time of the service had not been decided. Congdon & Co. Funeral Home in Zion is handling the arrangements.

Maxwell was enrolled at the College of Lake County and was excited about a career in digital media, his mother said.

"He was just a very creative person," Mary Maxwell said. "Full of life, with a lot of friends and charisma."

But music was his passion.

Maxwell's band, Avigilant, was recently featured on a Lake County radio station and the group just made its first CD.

"He was very talented," Mary Maxwell said. "He started out as a drummer, then taught himself to play base and on this CD did all of the vocals. He was a self-taught man in terms of music."

Maxwell's songs can be heard on his MySpace Web page where a host of friends posted comments over the weekend expressing their sorrow.

One friend wrote: "I'd give a hug goodbye if I could. We shall see each other again, our paths have crossed many times … They will again. Goodbye friend."