Detroit Free Press Marathon Deaths
It wasn’t until we left the race that we heard the tragic news. We stopped for lunch at Greektown. Afterwards, we visited St. Ann’s Church and learned about the three deaths from a curator. My heart went out to the runners and their families. Surrounding by depictions of saints who lost their lives to a higher calling, I felt the loss of people who at the time were nameless, but died in pursuit of something nobel.
Since that time, I’ve had a chance to read more about the three who died; their names and ages, something about their lives, and the mystery surrounding their callapse. As a runner, I find myself periodically checking the news for any additional information about what may have happened. I find myself almost paranoid about the circumstances. After all, what are the chances of three people dying near the same spot within minutes of each other. The last thing I would want is to feed into any conspiracy theories, yet I’m eager to learn more. Perhaps to put my mind more at ease; perhaps to offer some closure to the families; perhaps to have some answers and firmly erase any irrational thoughts about accepting aid at races. What happened was tragic enough. My thoughts and prayers truly go out to the family and friends of those our running community lost. May we remember, not in fear, but in honor of their race.
