#crazystrong for Keri

As a 19-year-old single dude many of the things that grab the affections and attention of my heart no longer do. What’s more, as a 27-year-old married man with a 10-month-old little girl, there are a lot of things that I pay attention to, feel an emotional connection to, and care more about. Most of the events and media that makes me raise my eyebrows now involve children, the treatment of women, and the importance of family. Five years ago none of that would’ve been as big a concern for me.
With that in mind, I received an email last week from the owner of CrossFit VTG up in Smyrna, Tennessee. We all know how close and important community is inside a CrossFit gyms.
One of the families in his gym, just recently lost their mother to cancer. Keri, after a hard fought battle, succumbed to breast cancer. She leaves behind her husband Daniel and two small children Cale and Reece.
I’m going to let him tell the story below but what you should know is that five years ago this would not have pricked my heart near as much as it does now. That’s not to say I would not of been sad or angry that this is now their reality. What I’m saying is that now as a 27-year-old father my heart hurts for a dad who now has to raise two kids without the cornerstone of their family. I can empathize and in many ways identify with some of the emotions he must be feeling as I put myself in his shoes.
Power and Grace as a whole is going to support this tragedy as much as we can. This is a gym that has surrounded his family to do all they can to support them. Expect that the workouts for February 7 on the competition blog will be the workouts for the competition mentioned below. Also after reading the story if you’re compelled please sign up for the competition. Power and Grace will be contributing to the prize packages for the three divisions represented. Those Prize packages will include monthly remote coaching or monthly programming subscriptions, and one time video analysis packages.
After reading the full story below you can sign up for the competition here.
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Last summer Daniel Victory, a client who had been training with us at Crossfit VTG for several months, asked to speak with me after class in reference to his wife, Keri, participating in our next On Ramp class for those who are new to Crossfit. After I had finished coaching the class we sat down at my desk and he explained that Keri was diagnosed in 2010 with stage 2, Triple Negative, Breast Cancer. Her treatment required brain surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Daniel explained that there had been many ups and downs during her battle with Cancer but she had continued to stay active including running 7 half marathons, teaching 2nd grade, and helping raise their 2 children Cale and Reece. She was still receiving chemotherapy treatments but wanted to try Crossfit and go through our On Ramp course. I urged Daniel to have Keri check with her doctor’s before signing her up for the program. After receiving clearance from the doctor’s, we got Keri signed up and scheduled her for the next available class. n n Keri completed all 5 of our On Ramp classes and continued to train with us for several weeks afterward. Every time she came to the gym she displayed a positive attitude and fantastic work ethic. She wanted to learn and quickly picked up whatever movements we were working on during each session. Keri was a joy to have in the gym and one of those clients that is every coaches dream. Unfortunately, around that time Keri’s cancer reemerged and began to spread to her lungs, brain, collar bone, liver, and spine and she would not be able to continue her training due to the effects the Cancer was having on her body. This was obviously not good news but Daniel and Keri still had a happy and positive attitude in every interaction I had with them. She even messaged me one day to remind me that it was Daniel’s 31st birthday and told me to make sure I announced it to the entire class when he arrived at the gym that day and be sure that I thoroughly embarrassed him.n n Last November Daniel didn’t make it to the gym at all for a week. He texted me to let me know that Keri had been hospitalized and her condition was deteriorating. I would text him periodically to check in and see if there was anything I could do or anything they needed. He would always respond by saying thanks and that they were ok. Several weeks later I texted him to check in and see if they needed anything. This time he responded by saying that her doctor’s had stopped the chemotherapy because her body had stopped responding to it and that the best thing I could do for him was to “go home and love on your wife and son because life is too short.” Talk about something that will stop you dead in your tracks. That is the kind of person that Daniel Victory is. Even in the midst of Keri fighting FOR HER LIFE, Daniel wasn’t asking me for anything. Instead he was encouraging me to make sure my wife and son know how much I care for them. n n Keri’s body could no longer sustain itself with the level of disease that had spread and she passed on December 9, 2014. I have been involved with Crossfit since 2009 and the best thing by far is the community. We rally around each other when times get hard in our training, but more importantly when times get hard in life. Our gym is holding the #CrazyStrong for Keri competition to honor her life as well as raise money for their two children. There will be 3 divisions- RX, Scaled, and Basic, as well as two competition platforms: In House (held at Crossfit VTG- 8006 Safari Drive Smyrna, TN on 02/07/15) and ONLINE (virtual competition with the same WOD’s to be done by 02/07/14). Further information including registration and donation links can be found here.nI would greatly appreciate each of you considering participating in this competition or donating to Daniel, Cale, and Reece. Thank you all very much for your time!nSincerely,nMatt HugheynOwner- Crossfit VTG