SAVANNAH, GA. – In a heartfelt display of community spirit, a local Savannah restaurant extended its support to the family of a man tragically killed earlier this month at the Target located on Abercorn Street.

On Thursday evening, Midtown Sports Grill became a hub of generosity as it hosted “Traywick Trivia Night,” an event aimed at raising funds for the grieving Traywick family. The restaurant was buzzing with activity, with patrons filling every seat, eager to participate in raffles and make donations.

The tragic incident occurred on January 4, when Matt Traywick was fatally shot in the Target parking lot. He leaves behind his wife, Micayla, and their three children, a devastating loss for the young family.

Summer Ivanowski, co-owner of Midtown Sports Grill, expressed a deep sense of empathy and urgency to assist the family. “I worked with Micayla,” Ivanowski shared, reflecting on the impact of the tragedy. “As a mother of three myself, I can’t even imagine what she’s going through, so we wanted to do everything we could to support her.”

Dylan Hughes, manager of Spanky’s Southside Pizza Galley and Saloon, also shared in this sentiment. Both Hughes and Ivanowski had previously worked with Micayla and were deeply affected by the news of Matt’s passing. Their initiative in organizing the event exemplifies the profound sense of community and compassion that can arise in the face of tragedy.

“I was absolutely shocked,” Hughes said. “I live around the corner, and I hate to say it, I saw the alert on my phone and I said, dang another shooting in Savannah. Hours later, I got the alert that was her and her family, and I just broke down in tears. I was heartbroken.”

Ivanowski said, “It was devastating, honestly. I just felt terrible, felt so terrible for Mikayla. But there are so many people that love her and the family.”

After they heard the tragic news, they instantly knew they wanted to help. They put together “Traywick Trivia Night” and posted about it on their Facebook. Ivanowski said the community responses has been shocking.

“We had people come all day long,” Ivanowski said. “They said they saw the news and wanted to make a donation, not even want to do a raffle. It’s been a great experience, I just hoped we could do something to help [Micayla] out.”

Since the shooting, 30-year-old Tyler Edward Linn was arrested as a suspect. He now faces charges of murder and aggravated assault. Linn is expected in court on Jan. 29.

Spanky’s Southside Pizza Galley and Saloon will also hold an event dedicated to supporting the Traywick family. It will take place on Feb. 29 at 6 p.m.

If you can’t attend an event but still want to donate, you can click here for the GoFundMe.