"When I showed up, it was like a family reunion. Everyone hugged me and acted like I was their own."
Shane Venezia spent seven years in the Army and saw combat while deployed as a private contractor. But no battle tested him like the news that his younger sister was diagnosed with breast cancer.
The owner of CrossFit No Surrender in Covington, La. cried like he never had before.
“People say this all the time but I really meant it. I wish I could have put that cancer in my body,” Venezia says. “This young lady didn't deserve this. She had a husband, 1-year-old daughter, a great life ahead of her. How could this happen to my best friend/baby sister?”
The sorrow was deep, rooted from a life of remaining close through the good and tough times. Venezia, 35, and Renee Hamilton, 32, lost their father when they were young and Venezia says she was the only one who stood behind him 100 percent when he decided to join the Army.
They lived together after he left the military and he introduced her to his Army buddy, now her husband.
“When we were younger, I’m sure I was known as the overprotective brother, but I just didn't want her hurt,” Venezia says.
So when the cancer diagnosis came back March 31, 2011 – seven days after the lump was discovered -- this soldier rallied his troops.
“Shane is tough and fearless, but I knew the news was going to knock him to his knees,” Hamilton says. “He told me he would shut down the box and come to North Carolina to help us.”
But she told him to slow down, and a month later, Hamilton came to New Orleans for surgery. Venezia knew he had to fight the disease alongside his sister and spent every day with her during her three-week stay. He also put together a Fight Gone Bad event to fight against breast cancer and raise money to help offset her chemotherapy treatments.
“When my husband and I pulled up, I was brought to tears. The outpouring was overwhelming,” Hamilton says. “Members made fliers for advertising. They made cookies and shirts to sell. They had write-ups done in the local paper to make sure no one could not hear about this event.”
She said she had maybe met three or four people from the box before. “However, when I showed up, it was like a family reunion. Everyone hugged me and acted like I was their own. They had a pink ribbon dress and bows made for my daughter. Shane said that he expected a good turnout, but this was awe-inspiring.”
Members from five area boxes sent Hamilton home with more than $6,000. “I was able to rest easy and know that we were going to make it out of this horrible storm,” she says.
Fast forward to a year later, and Venezia was not done.
He organized a second fundraiser in honor of Hamilton – who was in remission -- and all breast cancer survivors, although he claims it was in a selfish way. “I had a personal battle to fight with this disease. I didn't want anyone to have to go through what we did,” he says. “I remember how helpless I felt not being able to do anything for her and her family, so every year will do my part to fight cancer.”
And he did more than his part in the “24 in 24” event – that’s 24 workouts in 24 hours. He and one other trainer did them all.
Members did what they could and gave what they could. Some did as many as 15 workouts, but stayed the full 24 hours to show support for Venezia and his mission. He had affiliated with Susan G. Komen and the 100 participants were able to send the organization $6,620 when all the sweat and fatigue was done.
Venezia considers Reina Gardner a major force in making the fundraiser happen. The 45-year-old preschool principal made sign-up sheets, had shirts made and stayed the full 24 hours. She had initial concerns about people trying to do too many workouts so close together.
“As I recalled all that we stand for, sayings about getting out of our comfort zone, memorializing our servicemen and women and our love for Shane and Renee, my mind started spinning,” Gardner says. “I was anxious to do as many WODs as possible, but also wanted to be helpful in the planning and logistics of the event. I get nervous before a daily WOD. Multiply that feeling by 24 and you have an idea of my emotional state.”
She says getting people to participate and donate was easy. “Cancer has affected everyone. Every person you know has had some brush with this terrible disease. The explanation was the easy part: ‘We at CFNS are raising money to kick cancer's ass.’”
In seeking donations, members also spread awareness of CrossFit. Selina Brooks, 27, says people were happy to donate. “They were impressed with the thought of not only someone doing 24 workouts on the hour every hour for 24 hours, but CrossFit workouts at that,” she says.
She did eight workouts and stayed the full 24 hours. “I love that in CrossFit, it allows you to use what you love to do to support charity organizations and raise money for people who need it.”
Samuel Mearridy, 31, says the inspiration for the 24 in 24, and every day, comes from those battling cancer and their families. “If they can find a way to deal with all that and still continue to push forward, then we have no excuses or reasons why shouldn’t continue to push,” he says.
Bryan Davidson, 42, signed up for the 2 to 5 a.m. workouts. He says some people were taking naps on the chalky floor when he arrived. He considered the event “an opportunity to support Shane and his family, to have the back of someone that always has our back.”
Laura Miles says she started her CrossFit journey 15 months ago for a selfish reason – to get in shape. But the 24 in 24 had her thinking quite unselfishly, even setting her alarm for midnight to participate. “I never imagined how training at CrossFit No Surrender could change so many aspects of my life,” she says. “I handle stress at work better and I am a happy wife, sister, daughter and friend to those who matter the most to me. My passion for CrossFit allows me to give back to the community and fight for those who fought battles tougher than any workout. It is all worth the blisters.”
Venezia’s motivation was also close to Joseph Matta’s heart. He lost his mother to cancer the year before and knew the event would bring out the best in everyone “because everyone lays it on the line, and gives it everything [they have] got. Because they know that every day, those people fighting for their lives against cancer are doing the same thing.”
Venezia says he plans to do a similar fundraiser to fight breast cancer every year. The impact it has – raising money for a cure, educating the community about CrossFit and what it means to be a part of the box’s family and truly represent the phrase No Surrender, and most importantly showing his members what they are capable of – will only continue and grow.
“Since the fundraisers, I've seen them push harder than ever. For example, they have started donating more time to charities, spending more time together outside of the workouts, PRing all over the place,” Venezia says. “They came together for 24 hours straight and haven't separated since. I guess you form a bond that is inseparable when you stand together in a time of need.”
And Hamilton was able to stand by her big brother in his 24th hour of need. After four ice baths, sleep deprivation and several IVs administered by a nurse, Venezia faced his 24th WOD, his sister’s favorite: Diane.
“I was able to start the 24th WOD with Shane, and for the first and only time ever in my life, I finished before him,” Hamilton says. “At that point, I went over to him and cheered him on. I told him that I knew he was strong enough to do this, to finish. I was able to push him like he has pushed me thru all of my hard times.”
