A woman who suffered a heart attack at the finish line of the Los Angeles Marathon has died at a hospital, race organizers confirmed Tuesday.
Trisha Paddock was a participant in the Charity Challenge Half Marathon, according to a statement from the organizers.
“This is a devastating loss and our deepest sympathy goes out to her family and loved ones,” said the organizers. “We would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to all first aiders, paramedics and medical staff who were on site immediately.”
Organizers said they are in touch with the Paddock family and offer support.
Paddock raised funds for the Asian American Drug Abuse Program, according to the statement.
Sunday at At 12:10 a.m., firefighters “came in contact with a 44-year-old female race participant near the finish line who suffered a medical complaint that escalated to a witness to a cardiac arrest,” according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
More than a dozen staff, including the LAFD’s Bicycle Medic Team, provided medical care before Paddock was transported to a hospital, firefighters said.
Paddock’s age was stated as 46 in the marathon results, while the fire department stated her age as 44. It was not clear which day she died.
A GoFundMe campaign was set up Sunday to help Paddock’s family with medical expenses. As of Tuesday night, it had raised more than $ 42,000, exceeding its $ 40,000 target.
Her death was the first in connection with the marathon race since 2007, when a 50-year-old man who participated in the LA Bike Tour held in connection with the marathon race died after going into what appeared to be cardiac arrest, according to the fire department .
In 2006, two retired law enforcement officers died after collapsing on the marathon route. Raul Reyna, a 53-year-old retired Los Angeles police officer, had a 24-mile heart attack near Olympic Boulevard and Westmoreland Avenue, two miles from the finish line. Retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy James Leone, 60, collapsed at the 3rd mile, near Exposition Boulevard and Figueroa Street.
The only other known death during the marathon came in 1990, when a 59-year-old Altadena man under a doctor’s care for hypertension suffered a fatal heart attack while running in the fifth annual race. William McKinney suffered heart failure at the 21-mile mark near Crenshaw and Pico boulevards.
City News Service was used to prepare this report.