WILLIAMSBURG — Logan Anderson was known for spending each day living life to the fullest.
On an average day, Logan would wake up in the early hours of the morning, go to work all day, come home in the evening and work out.
When described by people who knew him, the words “motivated,” “goal-oriented,” “committed,” and “focused” are often used.
His parents said that he not only wanted a healthy lifestyle for himself, but he was also an advocate for pushing others to be the best that they could be.
“Logan woke up and went to sleep positive,” his father, Robert Anderson, said. “His personality and the way he pursued the day was positive.”
A Warhill High School graduate, Logan was an active member of his community, with a deep passion for helping others. He, like his family, was a faith-based devoted church-goer, a member of the Williamsburg Moose Riders 757, and had a love for volunteer work.
His dream was to join the U.S. Marine Corps, for which his parents said that he was “one paper away” from being approved.
On Sept. 18, Logan was killed in a motorcycle accident in James City County. He was just 22 years old.
The day he died, he was on his way home from a cancer awareness fundraiser with the Moose Riders.
“His last day was spent helping people,” his mother, Suzanne, said. “And we take comfort that that’s what he was doing his last day.”
Logan’s parents, his older sister Alyson and his twin brother Luke have since been dealing with the tragic loss “minute by minute.”
Soon after his passing, PESFIT, 7521 Richmond Rd., Suite B, a gym in Norge where Logan previously worked out, as well as worked as a CrossFit coach, reached out to the Andersons about holding a CrossFit fundraiser and fitness competition in Logan’s honor.
“Logan’s accident was on a Saturday. By early the next week, PESFIT was reaching out to us about an event,” Suzanne said. “They had already set the date and named it.”
In early October, PESFIT held “Lifting for Logan,” a fundraiser with 100 percent of the proceeds going toward Logan’s family.
The event featured Logan’s favorite workouts, raffles, gift baskets and donations from businesses including Indian Fields Tavern, Colonial Pancake House, Honey Butter’s Kitchen, Food For Thought, The North Face, B Fitness Yoga, Loving Hands Massage, Soul Solutions Therapy and Drachen CrossFit.
PESFIT owner, David Piggott, his girlfriend and co-owner, Maggie Fox, and coaches wanted to hold a fundraiser for Logan’s family because they thought it is what he would have wanted.
“I’ve known the Anderson family forever,” Piggott said. “To hear of his passing was gut-wrenching.”
Piggott first met Logan when he was a child, when Logan, his siblings and their father took a martial arts class that Piggott worked with.
Years later, when Piggott opened PESFIT, Logan would go on to become one of the gym’s first members and work as a CrossFit coach.
“He was super eager to help everybody. He was an asset to have,” Piggott said. “No one would leave the gym after talking to Logan and didn’t leave in a good mood. He was a really positive kid.”
The PESFit team was able to reach their goal of raising $2,200, which they will present to the Anderson family.
“The event was so special,” Piggott said. “His dad got to do [Logan’s] workout. And everybody was so supportive.”
Suzanne said that she was overwhelmed and comforted by the whole event, particularly because it was unprompted by the family.
“We just never thought about a fundraiser,” Suzanne said. “We were just touched.”
“The stories we heard that day of the lives he touched were just so heartwarming,” she added. “We had ladies coming up to us showing us before and after pictures of how he helped them. We knew he had lots of friends, and people always said nice things about him, but we didn’t know it to this extent.”
Robert said that the event helped the family during a time of grieving.
“It was a great diversion from the utter heartbreak,” he said.
Suzanne said that the family hopes to make “Lifting for Logan” an annual fundraising event with PESFIT, with proceeds going toward different organizations that Logan cared about.
“I think Logan would be proud of that,” she said.
