How CrossFit Saved This Cop’s Life

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“Ask yourself at every moment, is this necessary?” —  Marcus Aurelius

CrossFit Saved this Cop’s Life

The story.

It was a small, quiet wedding. Only five people were present. Jill Kidik and her husband Tyler Charette are both in law enforcement. Jill has twelve years of service with the Hartford Police Department and Tyler is a Connecticut state trooper. Once they decided to get married, they knew they wanted just a simple little ceremony. They wanted an uneventful week. They exchanged vows, spent the day celebrating, then went about their regular week, serving the community and raising Tyler’s four year old daughter together.

But three days later Jill would be fighting for her life while Tyler raced to her side.

The call.

Jill saw the call come in through dispatch. Only a few hours into her shift, she had been thinking about going to warm up her breakfast when it popped up. Someone was causing a disturbance in an apartment complex and 911 had been called. So she sent herself. She told dispatch she would handle it, got into her vehicle, and drove to the scene alone.

The woman causing the disturbance was harmless. Until she wasn’t.

The incident.



“Jill is always yelling at us in class. She is a woman that demands presence,” Kevin Salters, co-owner of Land Warrior CrossFit in Suffield, Ct.

A runner since high school, Jill started CrossFit four years ago in Manchester and hated it. But then she met Tyler, who Crossfitted regularly, and she tried it again. “Her back squat is ridiculous! She’s got some strength!” Tyler said. And it’s that same strength that helped Jill fight for her life.

When Kidik showed up at 5 Constitution Plaza in Hartford there was no indication of danger. The woman, later identified as 39-year-old Chevoughn Augustin, was clearly in distress but the situation was manageable. “I thought, if she’s having a bad day, I’ll fix it. That’s my job.” A certified crisis intervention officer, Kidik called for an ambulance to transport Augustin to the hospital. “I asked her to put on her shoes and get a jacket because it might be cold outside for her.”

But when Kidik attempted to place handcuffs on Augustin’s left wrist, a routine safety measure while they waited for the ambulance, Augustin attacked Kidik’s face, tearing her left tear duct from her eye socket. She then grabbed Kidik by her ponytail and dragged her across the living room and into the kitchen. She opened a drawer and took a cuisinart butcher knife out.

“It was purple. I will always remember that it was purple,” Kidik said.

Kidik fought, using the same legs that served her so well in CrossFit, trying to get leverage against Augustin. She punched and hit and pushed Augustin away from her. “I thought, I just gotta fight. I gotta be stronger than she is.” She freed herself from Augustin’s grip only to be hit over the head with a pot from the stove and black out.

She came to when Augustin stabbed her in the back of the neck with the purple butcher knife.

Calling for help.

“I remember trying to put in a call for help. The dispatcher just kept talking and talking and I remember just wanting her to shut up. I remember running out of the apartment and I kept falling and falling and I kept thinking, why aren’t my legs going? I am telling them to go. And they’re not going.” The next thing Jill knew, Augustin was on top of her, outside in the hallway. She was stabbing her, over and over, in her neck, her shoulder blades, her arms, her hands.

“I was not scared. I was not thinking about dying. I just fought. I just knew I had to fight her.”

Finally, help arrived. Augustin was pulled off of a bloodied Kidik who, despite her injuries, immediately began directing everyone. “I was yelling at everyone telling them what they needed, because I was literally drowning in my blood. They were trying to get me to lay down, but I was drowning.” Kidik was using her pointer and middle finger to clear her own airways, taking globs of blood out of her throat and throwing them aside.

“It was just like CrossFit. I was telling them what we were going to do. No one can tell me what to do, ever.” Kidik was rushed to the trauma center at Hartford Hospital.

Two days later, the Jill that everyone knows and loves was back. When her Chief came to see her he joked that she had never looked better. Jill took a white board and spelled out “Fuck You,” and he said, “Oh well she’s fine.”

Now what?

The doctors argued over whether or not to send Jill home. None of it made any sense. With stab wounds to her neck and upper body she shouldn’t have recovered as quickly as she had. But eight days later, she was home with her husband and his four-year-old daughter. “It’s the CrossFit, the fitness and the food. Hands down. If I wasn’t so fit and eating healthy before this, this would not have looked the same.”

Her gym thinks so too. Which is why they’ve set Tyler and Jill up with a home gym. Dave Tripp, co-owner of Land Warrior CrossFit, has served in the Army for 26 years. “I put on a uniform everyday. I understand that camaraderie, and we want to show respect for that. To help support them, taking a toll on all the levels – mental, financial, emotional. We want to lighten that load.” They’re also hosting a fundraiser in her name. The Jill Kidik Warrior Wod will take place on June 30, 2018 at 9:30 at Land Warrior CrossFit in Suffield, CT.

“I don’t feel like a victim. I’m okay with what happened. I haven’t wanted to talk to the media at all, or give my name. I don’t want to talk to the nightly news. I want to be at events with people I know and that GET IT. I just want to be around people that I know are just here to support me and not just get a sensational story, to just capitalize on it. But it’s fitness that got me where I am today. And I just want to be around the right people, the people that get it, for my mental health.”

Coffee Break Conversation

What to tell your kid’s soccer coach that mean mugs you every time you bring your kid a Gatorade…

Guess what? They’re going sugar free. It’s no surprise that people in the sports and fitness industry have started to shy away from ingredients they can’t pronounce and heavily sugared recovery drinks and Gatorade has finally taken note. They’ve got a new line out, Gatorade Zero, and they want to put themselves back in the game.

Things To…

WATCH: A Father Son Story

Tom Butler was nervous about having his son, Shawn, coach him at CrossFit Five Star in Warrington, PA. But once he started moving he fell in love with the process and with having his kid coach him this time around.

WATCH THIS.

HEAR: Fitness Has Changed My Life

Chuck Bennington, Lead Instructor of CrossFit Gymnastics, discusses being a parent, vulnerability, and improving your life through understanding the “why” behind everything you do.

TUNE IN.

GET: Free Morning Chalk Up Stickers

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KNOW: Keep Your Greens Fresh

You know the drill. Every Sunday you go to the store pumped to do meal prep. You buy spinach and kale and promise to use it all this time. Three days later, they’re limp and gross. Here’s how to not let that happen.

KEEP GREENS GREEN.

BUY: AquaOmega High Potency Fish Oil

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IT’S PRACTICALLY MAGIC.

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• PRO-TIP — Jared Enderton offers his clean and jerk warm-up. If you’ve got tight ankles and shoulders maybe try these openers, with a step-by-step demo video. 
• OVEREXERTION IN SPORTS –– People hear that CrossFit can be dangerous for lots of reasons and Rhabdo is one of them. But CrossFit is not the only sport susceptible to the condition. Caused by “too much too fast” there are several signs and symptoms of Rhabdo to catch early on. 
• FUNDRAISER FOR BURN VICTIMS — Robert Keefe, 59, and his 28-year-old son, Ryan Keefe, of CrossFit Free in Salem, NH were trapped inside a home when it’s propane tank exploded in the basement. The two men are in the hospital recovering and CrossFit Free is hosting a
  fundraiser for the two on Saturday, June 30.  

CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES (a highlight reel around social media of CrossFit pros and average joes)

Erik Jacobs is down 100 pounds and counting since August • Queen Beezy gets a 115 pound overhead squat PR • FITAID adaptive athlete Logan Aldridge cleans 235 pounds with one arm • Kelly Friel offers longevity advice to other masters athletes • At his first International weightlifting competition, 14-year-old Morgan McCullough takes gold overall with a 121kg/266 pound snatch and a 163kg/359 pound clean and jerk. CoCa Cola controversy…Sara Sigmundsdottir and BK Gudmundsson make cameo appearance in Icelandic CoCa Cola World Cup ad • CompTrain released a new workout called Fight Club and if you get 300 reps or more you get a shirt.

…and someone hire this woman to commentate sports everywhere, please.

Dave Castro on Day 1 of the CrossFit Games…“We’ve prepared the best test that we’ve ever done, that we’ve ever created. I’m looking forward to athletes arriving and being dealt a day one that will go down in the Games history books for it’s difficulty and challenge.” 

CrossFit Couples Deadlift for Gender Reveal — These two crossfitting couples decided to have a gender reveal experience doing what they love; deadlifting.

The Sticker Challenge — When the owners of CrossFit Ignite in Park Ridge, NJ put stickers on the bathroom mirrors everyone laughed about it. But now athletes take selfies under the “I AM AWESOME” and “I AM BEAUTIFUL” stickers and post them to their IG with the hashtag #IGNITEyourself and its become a thing, a beautiful awesome thing.

Amy Way: “I actually cried once or twice during those first few workouts” — “Flashback to 2-3 years ago, when I was back up to my heaviest after baby no. 3, still breastfeeding, probably with some degree of postpartum depression, failing my Air Force pt test, and feeling like I was just all around sucking at life. I was not making my health and happiness a priority (as probably most mamas of little ones fail to do) and I needed to make some drastic changes.

“I would usually go back to the CrossFit room when no one was back there so I didn’t feel like everyone was watching or judging me. (News flash, no one cares) Then one day while I was back there working out, someone mentioned that I should try out one of the classes and that I’d probably be good at it. They were offering a free month and I figured, ‘what the heck…I’ll give it a shot.’ Intimidated was an understatement. I actually cried once or twice during those first few workouts because I felt so defeated and weak, but I didn’t give up & I finished them, even if I was always the last one. Everyone cheered me on and was so encouraging & supportive.

“I’m currently around 146 pounds and no longer a slave to the scales. I honestly don’t care about those numbers anymore. I care more about the gains and PRs in the gym. CrossFit is grueling, but it’s the one thing I’ve done that’s caused the biggest change in my body composition. I love feeling strong.”

“Father’s Day and One Man’s Journey to be a Better Dad” by Dave Colina, | Morning Chalk Up

CrossFit changed my feelings about Father’s Day forever, and I don’t say that lightly.

Losing my dad to cancer as a teenager was incredibly difficult. Because of that, I really didn’t like Father’s Day anymore. Some years, it was just another Sunday; others, it was a bitter reminder of my loss.

It wasn’t until recently that I began seeing Father’s Day in a different light. And I have my friend Joe to thank for it, and his journey to become a better dad through CrossFit.

Joe got his diet in check – hopped on the Whole30 train – and started getting up early. Super early. Jocko Willink early.

Then he started doing CrossFit — something I never thought I’d see him do — all because of his kids. He told me he wanted to ensure he would be there for them as they get older, and he meant it.“Just hard work, discipline, whole eating, and tremendous support.”

It’s special because it isn’t unique in the world of CrossFit. YOU, as a coach or owner, are on the front lines of what makes CrossFit a community in every since of the word. That’s special.

So this Fathers’ Day, I’m raising a toast to all the dads of CrossFit. The pain, sweat, and effort you put into ensuring you’re there for your kids later in life is moving beyond words. You embody what this community is all about.

6/22 – 6/23: Urban Street Games (Rock Island, IL)

6/22 – 6/24: The Bacon Beatdown (Daytona Beach, FL)

6/23: Garage Girls CrossFit Grit (St. Simons Island, GA)

6/23: 2018 Summer Swolestice (Gresham, OR)

6/23: HAMCO Heat (McLeansboro, IL)

6/23: The Greenville Games (Greenville, SC)

6/23: The Burn Out (New Bern, NC)

6/23: Battle of the Border (Phenix City, AL)

6/23: Battle of a Beauty with a Beast (South Hadley, MA)

6/23: Clash for Cash (Wilkes-Barre, PA)

6/23: SuperFit Games (Lorton, VA)

6/23: Clash on the Concrete (Miamisburg, OH) 

6/23: Fort Games at Smallville CrossFit (Ft. Scott, KS)

6/23 – 6/24: Asbury Park Summer Games (Asbury Park, NJ)

6/23 – 6/24: The Dakota Games (Fargo, ND)

6/29: Bare Knuckles Weightlifting Meet (Broomfield, CO)

6/29 – 6/30: The Grinder Games III (Tall City, TX)

6/30: Summer Stampede (Bethlehem, PA)

6/30: Battle of the Ballpark (Seattle, WA)

6/30: Battle Between Boxes: Will Lift for Food (Des Moines, IA)

6/30: Jill’s Warrior WOD (Suffield, CT)

6/30: Keefe Fundraiser (Salem, NH)

7/1: Strong As A Bear VI (San Rafael, CA)

7/4: 4th of July Throwdown Team Competition (Cullman, AL)

7/6: Garage Games Firebreather 5k (John’s Creek, GA)

7/6 -7/8: The UG Games (Collingswood, ON)

7/6 – 7/8: The Garage Games Jr. Champion’s Invitational 2018 (Roswell, GA)

7/6 – 7/8: Garage Games Junior Champions Invitational (Roswell, GA)

7/7: CrossFit Elgin Beach Brawl 2018 (Port Stanley, ON)

7/7: Capitol Takeover 2018 (Springfield, IL)

7/7: 2nd Annual Liberty Dash (Johnston, PA)

7/7 – 7/8: Railyard Riot (Lincoln, NE)

7/7: Barbellas (Anaheim, CA) 

7/13 – 7/15: Beach Throwdown 2018 (Schevening, Netherlands)

7/14: Mischief Revolution: Battle of the Brewery (Chicago, IL)

7/14: Mountain Town Summer Throwdown (Breckenridge, CO) 

7/14: Espirit De Corps 2018 (Vancouver, WA)

7/14: Belmar Beat Down (Belmar, NJ)

7/14: Atomic Throwdown (Kennewick, WA)

7/14: Fitness for Faith (Livingston, TN) 

7/14: Sweat Angel Showdown (Indianapolis, IN) 

7/14: Barmageddon (Oklahoma City, OK)

7/14: Red, White, and Blue Showcase (Kearney, NE)

7/14: CrossFit for Hope 2018 (Peoria, IL)

7/14: Team SuperFit Charlotte (Charlotte, NC)

7/14 – 7/15: 2018 Freshcoast Games (Muskegon, MI)

7/15: The Buckeye Games (Akron, OH)

7/15 – 7/16: Lubbock Summer Games (Lubbock, TX)

7/21: Second Annual Summer Showdown (Nicholasville, KY)

7/21: Swole Wars II (Burleson, TX)

7/21: Sacred Pines Invitational (Ladson, SC)

7/21 – 7/22: The Rubicon (Centerton, AR)

7/28: Garage Girls Hard Core Fit (Watkinsville, GA) 

7/28: Garage Girls CrossFit HardCore (Boca Raton, FL) 

7/28: AZ FitCom Competition (Phoenix, AZ)

7/28 – 7/29: CF Summer Circus (Des Moines, IA)

7/29: Summer Sizzle (Wadsworth, OH) 

7/30: Legends of Lebo (Pittsburgh, PA)