CrossFit athletes honoring fallen heroes

July 4, 2018

Fireworks, hot dogs, backyard games, with all the hustle and bustle involved on the Fourth of July, it can be easy to forget the true reason why we celebrate the holiday.

Home of the free because of the brave: that’s what the Fourth of July is all about and what the athletes of CrossFit 228 in Gulfport are dedicating their workout to. Known as ‘hero workouts,’ these can be extremely long and strenuous experiences, but also carry a much deeper meaning, honoring those who sacrificed their lives for our country. CrossFit 228 Owner Ryan Webb said, “Instead of doing a regular type workout, these workouts we’re doing out of respect for the fallen soldiers and what not. So, we do it for a little more willpower to push through like they’re along with us doing the workout and we’re pushing through a lot harder than what we normally would.”

Daniel is not only the name of the workout, but the name of the fallen hero lifting these athletes up and encouraging them to stay strong until the end. Sgt. First Class Daniel Crabtree was 31-years-old when he was killed in Iraq on July 8^th, 2006. He was a national guardsman and a Green Beret. Airforce Reserve Command and Firefighter Jimmy Steube said, “CrossFit is honoring him because he is the definition of a hero, giving the ultimate sacrifice for his country. CrossFit does a good job of trying to remember the fallen, especially the heroes that go above and beyond their calling in the special operations community, fire, and police departments.”

Steube is a member of CrossFit 228 and has been in the military and a firefighter for 12 years in the Air Force Reserve Command. After being deployed two times, he says he’s very proud to be American. “It means a lot to be able to come in here and remember them and go through a little pain and suffering knowing they gave the ultimate sacrifice.”

CrossFit 228 honors these heroes in more ways than one, offering discounts for military, police, and fire as a way of saying thank you every day for their service and our freedom. “We do that for the respect that they help us out there in the community and we’re just paying back our duties,” said Webb.