Man dies after Disney Half Marathon

[perfectmatch300]

Here's the only info I was able to find. It was on local6.com.

Runner Dies After Disney Half-Marathon

POSTED: 10:46 pm EST January 7, 2006

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A runner who participated in the Walt Disney World Half-Marathon collapsed after he crossed the finish line, and later died at a hospital, authorities said Saturday.

William Kane collapsed Saturday morning, and was taken to Celebration Hospital in Orlando, where he was pronounced dead, said Gary Conduff, a hospital spokesman.

"I understand that he has passed away, and that his next of kin has been notified," Conduff said.

Prayers and sympathy to his family.

Conduff said he was unable to confirm Kane's age and hometown.

Walt Disney World spokeswoman Kim Purty confirmed that a man collapsed after crossing the finish line and that he was then taken by ambulance to a local hospital.

 

[DisneyGirl]

This is horrible!! I wonder what happened-- if he had some previous health problems, or if it is something else. I know there have been recent stories of people dying during long distances races because of-- I forget the word, but it is the opposite of dehydration - Hyponatremia, maybe??

 

[maryliz]

Very sad news. Unfortunately, this can and does happen more often than we hear of. Prayers and sympathy to his family.

MaryLiz

 

[perfectmatch300]

On today's news they said he was a 43 y.o. former professional golfer from Tucson Arizona, but still no word on what caused his death. I believe they are doing an autopsy tomorrow.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Cause of death is in--he had a preexisting condition.

A runner who died after last weekend's Walt Disney World Half-Marathon suffered from a congenital heart problem and heart disease, the Orange Osceola Medical Examiner's Office said today.

Those two contributing factors mixed with over exertion likely produced a fatal heart beat and cardiac arrest," said Sheri Blanton, manager of the office.

Willie Kane, 43, of Tucson, Ariz., collapsed moments after crossing the finish line. He ran the 13.1 mile course in 2:27:36.

Kane, a golf pro at the municipal Randolph Golf Complex in Tucson, started running four years ago. He is the first runner known to have died while participating in Disney's half-marathon. A 56-year-old Canadian runner died during the full-marathon in 2000.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...10906,0,7498836.story?coll=orl-home-headlines

 

[TammyNC]

So sad, thanks for updating us.