Woman dies after collapsing at finish line of Los Angeles Marathon, officials say

A woman who collapsed at the finish line of the Los Angeles Marathon died later at a nearby hospital, local media outlets reported.

Trisha Paddock was running in the Charity Challenge Half Marathon on March 20 when she collapsed, according to a statement from marathon organizers.

“This is a devastating loss, and our deepest sympathies go out to her family and loved ones,” the statement said. “We are in touch with Trisha’s family and are supporting them through this very difficult time. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.”

Paddock was raising money for the Asian American Drug Abuse Program (AADAP), the statement said. The Los Angeles-based nonprofit provides Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and other under-served communities with substance abuse services, according to the organization’s website.

“Trisha Paddock believed in the mission of AADAP and was so excited to be a part of our team,” Dean Nakanishi, the CEO of the group, said in a statement. “The Charity Challenge team members met together on Sunday morning before the start of the race, and everyone was enthusiastic to be participating in this event. We are all stunned that she is no longer with us.”

Officials with the Los Angeles Fire Department said that, at around 12:10 p.m., they “came in contact with a 44-year-old female race participant near the finish line suffering a medical complaint that escalated to a witnessed cardiac arrest,” the Los Angeles Times reported.

More than a dozen personnel came to help Paddock, and she was quickly transported to a local hospital, Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott told CBS Los Angeles.

Paddock is survived by her husband and three children, AADAP said in its statement.

“AADAP will always consider the Paddock Family as ‘Ohana’ or family and extends our deepest sympathies for this tragic loss,” the organization said.

Paddock’s death is the first related to the marathon since 2007, the Los Angeles Times reported.

More than 13,000 runners participated in this year’s marathon, NBC Los Angeles reported.

This story was originally published March 23, 2022 at 12:04 PM with the headline "Woman dies after collapsing at finish line of Los Angeles Marathon, officials say."