Fitness community mourns loss of trainer and his 2 children killed in freeway crash

Friends and family are grieving the loss of a popular fitness trainer and his two children who were killed Saturday in a multivehicle crash on the 91 Freeway in Artesia. 

Lavell Mann, his 9-month-old son Legend and 3-year-old daughter Logan were traveling westbound after 1 a.m. near Pioneer Boulevard in a Jeep when it clipped the rear of a gas tanker truck, struck a concrete barrier and overturned, according to the California Highway patrol. Mann’s Jeep was then hit by another vehicle.

Mann and his children were pronounced dead at the scene.

News of the 33-year-old Long Beach father’s death swept social media, with many expressing sorrow for Mann’s surviving wife, Niya.

A GoFundMe page created to help pay for funeral arrangements has raised more than $26,000, well over the $15,000 goal.

Mann was a personal trainer in Southern California and worked at several gyms. He maintained an Instagram account where he regularly posted videos and photographs of clients and children.

Over the weekend, his photographs drew hundreds of comments from friends, family and strangers who sent condolences to his family.

Workers at 6 Degree Fitness expressed grief for Mann and his family. He began training clients there in 2008.

“His wife Niya is in our thoughts and prayers; we can only imagine the pain and grief she is suffering. We are so grateful to have had the privilege of knowing and working with such a beautiful human being and businessman,� the gym wrote on Facebook.

On Monday, Los Amigos Crossfit dedicated a workout set to Mann.

No Limits Sports and Fitness Academy plans to host a candlelight vigil for Mann at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Alisha Lopez posted a video on Facebook, saying she was heartbroken over Mann’s death.

“For me, it’s hard to grasp and understand that we will never see him again at the gym,� she said.

The day before he was killed, Lopez said she joked with him about his clothing and talked about his children.

“It just makes you realize just how precious life is,� she said

For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter.

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