Comments on: In Memorium: John Velandra

By: Robb Wolf

Robb Wolf — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 16:32:39 +0000

John was just a wonderful guy. Still hurts not having him around.

By: sarena

sarena — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 03:56:17 +0000

Just seeing this blog post now. I did my level 1 cf cert at Johns place and keep up with him afterwards. Kinda weird and spooky I just got a fb reminder that today is his birthday.

John was beyond kind and helped me negotiate the cert despite some odd circumstances. Truly a professional and great person.

By: I Can’t Have…

I Can’t Have… — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:07:59 +0000

[...] bottom line: Life is short. Find a way to be happy and make sure every thought, word and action moves you towards being happy. [...]

By: Ali Durham

Ali Durham — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:44:31 +0000

UPDATE: JOHN VELANDRA FUND
As we have had many requests, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the John Velandra Fund. They can be dropped off or mailed to: John Velandra Fund, c/o Manna Church, 5117 Cliffdale Road, Fayetteville, NC, 28314 (910) 867-9151. We thank you for the continued outpouring of support.

By: Clare

Clare — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 17:18:29 +0000

John thought very much of you, Robb. Seeing you post about how John would contact you to check on how you were doing is so classic John! He always put others’ needs before his own, and that selflessness made a huge impact on people.

Thanks for your kind post.

By: Robb Wolf

Robb Wolf — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:39:48 +0000

Michael-
Good to hear from you, other than the circumstances. I’m not sure who John did not have a soft spot for. Just an honest, sincere man.
I hope you are well.

By: Pierre

Pierre — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 05:15:11 +0000

Quote “I can tell you this, if John’s death has done anything for me it has made crystal clear the fact you have a very limited time here, that every day is a gift and life is too short to devote time to people you do not love, respect and cherish.”

Robb, amen to that!

By: Brad

Brad — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 05:08:42 +0000

I am very sorry to hear this. May he rest in peace.

Let me know if I can help with anything at all.

Brad

By: Ryan Murakoshi

Ryan Murakoshi — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 04:24:15 +0000

Sorry for the loss of John to the community, but to his family primarily (and extended fitness family). I never had the chance to meet him, but he sounds like he was quite the guy and dedicated to making those around him better in every way possible. Sorry for the loss close to you Robb.

By: Michael Perry

Michael Perry — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 03:39:36 +0000

Robb,

Thanks for posting this, I was back in Bragg over the Christmas holiday’s and ran into John training some soldiers on post. John being John, he walked right up to me and hugged my neck like a long lost brother. Bragg is home for me and when I go home for visits I often train over at John’s place and I always have to force John to take money from me. He really had soft spot for soldiers and would do anything he could to help us survive on the battlefield.
We’ll miss you Brother John, RIP
Gn?thi sauton

By: Tabatha

Tabatha — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 02:36:57 +0000

Thank you
John surrounded everyone with love and positivity. He never had a bad word to say about anyone. He made me feel like I was the best massage therapist in the entire world. That’s how he was; he made you feel self worth. I always left his presence floating on happiness and with confidence.
He introduced me to fabulous kind people because that is who flocked to him.
I will always remember his smile and what he looked like with a fresh haircut, hahahaha!

By: Ian

Ian — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:38:29 +0000

I’m sorry for your loss Robb. I never knew John but he sounds like a wonderful guy. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and his family…..

By: dan thacker

dan thacker — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:10:03 +0000

What a horrible story. Our thoughts here go out out to his family and all who knew him.

By: Robb Wolf

Robb Wolf — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:11:42 +0000

Tony-
John was a huge supporter of Crossfit and of my work in the paleo arena. He was one of the first people to email me about doing a cert on the east coast and could not do enough to push the whole thing, both when we were at Cherry Point and when we were supposed to come to Cape Fear. When all the stuff started going down he would check in with me multiple times a day to make sue I was “ok” and to make sure I was fine with him still hosting the seminar with Sears. Always thinking of others, always willing to help.
Some people you may only see once a year, talk to once a month via email, but you feel like there has been no time between your last conversation. I’m still in denial…this has got to be a mistake.

I can tell you this, if John’s death has done anything for me it has made crystal clear the fact you have a very limited time here, that every day is a gift and life is too short to devote time to people you do not love, respect and cherish.

By: Tony Cowden

Tony Cowden — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:47:53 +0000

Robb,
John’s passing has hit a lot of folks hard… he’s one those people that even if you only met him once, he gave you something.

John thought a lot of you and your work Bro… most of our conversations were about the nutrition side of things. We joked a lot about how we left your cert at Cherry Point and went to a Mexican Restaurant to have our last non Paleo feeding. I attended the cert at his place in Dec, and he was very concerned about all the stuff that went down. He was, as Ali said, a gentle giant… fair, down to earth, spiritual, caring, and loving. Thanks for posting.

By: Luis

Luis — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:20:06 +0000

Sorry about your loss. This is another example of why more municipalities need to put limits on police car chases.

By: Robb Wolf

Robb Wolf — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:44:49 +0000

Ali-
thanks and my condolences to you folks. If there is ANYTHING I can do, let me know. I really liked and respected John a lot. What a terrible loss.

By: Ali Durham

Ali Durham — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:19:33 +0000

Thanks for this Robb. It would have meant a LOT to John. He respected you and thought of you as a friend.

John was TRULY a great man. He was a gentle giant with a deep compassion for those around him. You could not help be attracted to and eventually love fitness the way he did. John also reveled in the triumphs of those around him. He celebrated each victory with you and then couldn’t contain himself and would share with the world. We here at DIF/CFCF are deeply saddened by this tragic loss.

If you need any info please feel free to contact me, I’m his Trainer Manager @ DIF/CFCF. Thanks again, Ali