Memorial triathlon honors fallen Wake County Deputy Ned Byrd, raises funds for K9 support

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Dozens worked up a sweat Sunday to honor Ned Byrd, a Wake County Sheriff's deputy who was killed two years ago in the line of duty.

People took part in a memorial triathlon on Old Louisburg Road in Raleigh. It included CrossFit, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and mountain biking -- all activities that Byrd enjoyed.

"Ned was somebody who always showed up and he always put in the absolute 100% effort," his friend Conrad Faust said. "He would always grind through pain, push through you know, barriers and, you know, he never back down from a challenge."

The best way for Faust to remember Byrd is to never back down himself.

"How he impacted me is to make sure that even when it's uncomfortable," he said, "I do it anyway because...it's the right thing to do."

These activities helped friends and family recall the good times.

"Every day we talk about Ned," Mark Szajnderg of the Wake County Sheriff's Office said. "But most importantly, I think every day we try to pay it forward like Ned did. Every day he was trying to do something for somebody else and helping others."

Byrd's K9 partner assisted him in helping others.

"He loved that dog," Faust said.

The event raised money for nonprofit Spike's K9 Fund, which provides medical support, equipment and training for working dogs and their handlers.

"So, we thought that would be something that was, you know, fairly close and important to Ned and that he would appreciate," Faust said.

Organizers tell ABC11 the proceeds, at $15 a ticket and purchased by fans, friends and families, can power paths to canine health for K9 officers.