“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” -Mother Teresa

Kevin this morning (March 26th), donating plasma first, then bone marrow. #belikekevin

On September 24, 2016, CrossFit Thunderbolt was part of a large network of gyms across the country that hosted blood drives in support of Jason Khalipa’s daughter, Ava. In conjunction with this blood drive, we included a bone marrow donation registry drive with Be The Match. Twenty-four people came to our little box to donate blood and eighteen people registered with Be The Match.

Fast forward to early this year: our very own Coach Kevin got a phone call from Be The Match.  He learned that he could potentially save a life by donating stem cells. It seems like a no-brainer, but there are things to consider: how would the donation affect his health? His twin sons and his wife? Would there be long lasting side effects? And all of this came to a head during the Open, which Kevin had been training for diligently all year – how would it affect his Open? Kevin weighed these things out, and he decided to donate.

We often lament the state of the world. People are polarized, bad things happen, and the evening news tells us all about it. We want the world to be a better place, but it’s not often that we have a chance to do something BIG to make it better. Take a moment to focus on the little things you can do to make your part of the world better: Speak kindly. Act with integrity. Check in on your neighbor.  At CrossFit Thunderbolt, we come into the Box and we make the world a little better everyday. We are healthier for sure, but we are also better parents, spouses, children, and friends because we make time to workout. We heal our past, find mental toughness, deal with addictions, honor heroes, and work through joy and grief in our workouts.  We work out for some great causes like Lift Up Autism, Barbells for Boobs, and Angels on Wheels Animal Rescue.  We make the world better by supporting each other, speaking words of life to each other, cheering, holding each other accountable, and showing up for each other. These are small things, but they have the potential to make the world a better place.

Send some positive thoughts and prayers to Coach Kevin this morning, and of course to the recipient of his plasma and bone marrow donation.  And while you are thinking of him… #belikeKevin. Sign up to donate blood and get swabbed for Be The Match – we are having another blood drive on April 28th! Keep doing small things with great love, #thunderfam