Smashby's Training Blog

One of my CrossFit friends, Kevin Ogar, suffered a very serious spinal injury yesterday where he separated his T-11 and T-12 vertebrae and severed his spinal chord. As of last night/this morning, he had no voluntary movement of his body below his belly button.

The CrossFit Community across the globe has stepped in to help raise funds for Kevin (who is uninsured) and the mounting medical costs he and his family will be incurring as he undergoes treatment, and begins the recovery process.

I ask that you please share this message with as many people as you can, and ask that they donate anything they can ($1, $5, $10, anything) to help.

As of the time of this post, the current fund-raising page has raised over $60,000 (through the support of over 920 people) in less than 24 hours. The CrossFit Community is incredible, and I am so proud to be a part of it alongside you guys.

Kevin, you have the support of the world, and we are all praying for you, buddy.

Here’s where you can go for now to donate anything possible to help Kevin and his family cover the mounting medical costs for Kevin’s recovery.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Kevin’s impact on me, personally, is more profound than most people know. He was the friend who reached out to the owner of the gym where he worked, and convinced her to give me (a recently certified CrossFit Coach, chomping at the bit to find a place to work) a chance at pursuing this new hobby of mine. Now, 4 years later, coaching CrossFit is my full-time job, my passion, and I owe a huge part of that to Kevin. Thank you, friend. Now let’s get you healed!

(The picture below is me and Kevin back in March of 2010. It was the first day of my first-ever CrossFit Competition, the Southwest Sectionals event.)

Me and Kevin, March, 2010