Andrew Max, 18, is focused on beginning his freshman year at Tulane University in New Orleans
He leaves behind both a legacy and a void for Genesis Shelter, a homeless shelter for women and children in southeast Atlanta.
For the past five years, Andrew, a recent graduate of Woodward Academy, has installed and repaired all the computers at the shelter.
The computers are crucial to recent residents such as Renisha Jackson and her baby.
Renisha is learning basic computer skills from education and employment specialist, Shanwanta Clark with Genesis Shelter.
Without the skills, Renisha will find it tough to find a job to support her daughter, Kiera.
Andrew has volunteered more than 400 hours at Genesis Shelter on the computer.
"He stepped right in and he's just done great things. He is a faithful volunteer. We know we can depend on him," said BreNita McCord, Executive Director of Genesis Shelter.
"I've had everything from a stuck shift key to completely broken computers that I've had to completely wipe and re-boot," explained Andrew.
Andrew's devotion to the shelter comes from his older brother, Eric, who spent more than five years repairing the computers before leaving for college at Rice University in 2004.
Eric began volunteering at the shelter as part of work toward becoming an Eagle Scout at 12 years old. He enjoyed helping so much, he just kept returning to the center until the time approached for him to go to college at Rice University and he knew Genesis still needed help.
His brother, Andrew, eagerly agreed to spend time learning how to work on the computers from his brother and, then, took over the job.
"When this family came to us, we were probably computer illiterate and these young men walked us through actually learning how to use our new computer systems and then when they started to break down, they knew how to repair them," said McCord, adding that Eric installed the shelter's very first computers.
McCord estimates Andrew and Eric had saved the shelter thousands of dollars in computer repair bills over the years.
"This is family that has really embedded in their sons to give back to those who have less than you do," McCord said.
Andrew is shy and modest about his contributions.
"It's really rewarding," he said.
