Indiana gyms raise thousands to support family of 7-year-old Indiana girl who died in Florida
CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) — Tragedy struck central Indiana when Sloan Mattingly, a 7-year-old from Fort Wayne, was killed in a beach accident where she became trapped in the sand.
The Mattingly family previously lived in Fishers and have strong connections to their community in the area.
Kristen Katibah owns Burn Boot Camp in Carmel. She knew the Mattingly family from their shared time at the Fishers location. Katibah owned that location before this.
Katibah spent two years at the gym with Therese Mattingly, and in the childcare room with her two children Sloan and Maddox Mattingly.
She said Sloan’s tragic death hits home in ways that are hard to describe.
“It was so crushing,” Katibah said. “To see something on the news with someone you don’t know is one thing, but when it’s someone that you know, you’ve had moments, and memories, and experiences with, it hits so much closer.”
The Mattingly family eventually moved to Fort Wayne, but stayed close to their Burn Boot Camp family.
“Therese would still come down and visit, and had friends that she kept in touch with from her gym community,” said Katibah.
Most of the members at the Carmel location did not know the Mattingly family personally, but donated anyway. Even some of the community’s kids decided to pitch in with their own money.
“This one kinda hits home because I have an 8-year-old and a 4-year-old close in age and part of the burn community,” said Ashley Wedmore, a Carmel gym member. “I really think in this society we need to teach our children how important it is to help others when we have the means to help others.”
Ultimately the team at Burn Boot Camp decided to do this fundraiser to help the people they love.
“We’re more than willing to have as many people that can fit in our doors to operate and be able to send all those funds back to the Mattingly [family],” said Katibah.
Non-members were charged a $25 walk-in fee for the Saturday morning classes and all of this went directly to the family, meaning the gym operated at a loss for those slots. Many members chose to make donations as well.
The Burn Boot Camp gym in Carmel partnered with the Burn Boot Camp in Fishers. Together, those two gyms raised about $2,500 as of Saturday morning.