The Story & The Plan

McCoy “Topsy” Turner was raised in Lossiemouth, Scotland, where his love for service, challenge, and people first took root. In 2000, he joined the British Royal Navy, dedicating 17 years of his life as a Physical Training Instructor. Specialising as an Exercise Rehabilitation Instructor, McCoy served on multiple deployments, including a tour of Afghanistan with Op Herrick 14.

Following a medical discharge in 2017, McCoy sought a new chapter in Bali, Indonesia. There, he continued to serve in a different way—through CrossFit. As a valued member of CrossFit Seminar Staff, known fondly as “Red Shirts,” he became a Level 4 Coach, Flowmaster, and CrossFit Coaching Mentor. Over the years, he delivered an extraordinary 256 CrossFit Level 1 and Level 2 seminars across Europe and Asia, shaping coaches, building communities, and leaving a lasting imprint wherever he went.

Behind the strength, humour, and relentless drive, McCoy was fighting a long and often silent battle with complex PTSD. On the 8th of March, 2025, that battle claimed his life, and McCoy died by suicide.

Two months before his death, McCoy undertook one final, powerful act of purpose. He climbed Mount Batur in Bali carrying a rowing machine, and at the summit rowed 10,000 metres—an act of raw determination intended to raise awareness and funds for PTSD, and to shine light into a darkness so many endure quietly.

On the 4th of April, 2026, three of McCoy’s close friends will celebrate his life by ascending the British Three Peaks—Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, and Snowdon, each carrying a rowing machine. At each summit, they will row 10,000 metres. Echoing McCoy’s final mission and carrying his message forward.

This challenge is not only about remembrance—it is about love, responsibility, and family. Our aim is to raise funds to support McCoy’s two sons, Brodie and Tommy, as they face the unimaginably difficult road ahead without their father.

In the midst of grief, there has already been light. Since losing his dad, Brodie has earned his place at university to study medicine—an extraordinary achievement and a testament to resilience, character, and the values McCoy instilled.

We hope that McCoy’s friends, military oppo’s, and the global CrossFit community will come together once more—this time to support the children of one of the very best men many of us were fortunate enough to know.

By supporting Brodie and Tommy, we continue McCoy’s legacy of strength, service, and care for others.