When Staff Sgt. Timothy Davis died fighting for his country on Feb. 20, local CrossFit gym owners Anson Newman and Crystal Schiemer wanted to find a way to honor the young and well-loved Tacoma Airman.

They did just that on April 28 by organizing a fundraiser and dedicating the Workout of the Day at their CrossFit Puyallup gym to Davis.

The day-long fundraiser, which included Servicemembers in Kabul, Afghanistan, raised nearly $4,500 to assist Davis' wife, Meagan, and year-old son, T.J. More than 150 people locally participated in the Workout of the Day (WOD), which was dedicated to the 28-year-old Airman, nicknamed "DT," who was killed in a roadside bomb in Oruzgan, Afghanistan.

A CrossFit workout ranges from two to 60 minutes, Newman said. A WOD sometimes honors those who have fallen in the line of duty, including the military.

Davis, like many other Soldiers, gravitated to the short, intense workouts that blend cardio with weights.

During the four-hour Puyallup event, participants focused on weightlifting, DT's favorite part. Military members in Kabul did the same on a 12-hour rotating shift.

It seemed like the right thing to do after hearing the tragic news. DT's brother, Benjamin Davis, and his sister, Noel Carroll, are participants at the CrossFit gym in Puyallup, and the money raised will go toward the family to support their loss.

"It's a pretty personal thing," said Newman, who served in the U.S. Navy. "It was an internal drive that we had to do, and something that we plan to do as long as we can."

In order to set up a WOD, a CrossFit affiliate like the one in Puyallup must submit a request to its headquarters, Newman said. DT's WOD was immediately approved, and the two organizers hope to continue it every April in remembrance.

Schiemer said the event showed how the CrossFit community feels about DT.

"(Davis' mother, Sally Sheldon, and aunt) saw the support and were amazed," Schiemer said. "It made us feel really great, personally, (that) we could provide a vehicle for people to come together."

The event improved the spirits of his brother Benjamin, she said, and Sheldon expressed how it was a great boost for her family.

"That was incredible to hear," Schiemer said. "By us doing this event, it made his brother feel a lot better."

To learn more about the CrossFit in Puyallup, visit www.crossfitpuyallup.com.