A Wisconsin father of four died after collapsing near the finish line while running his first half marathon, leaving his family and the local running community stunned.
John Meise, 36, of Waukesha was participating in the Milwaukee Lakefront Half Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 4, when witnesses saw him suddenly collapse on the course.
He was reportedly near the 13-mile mark on the Hoan Bridge, just a short distance from completing the 13.1-mile race.
A fellow runner immediately stopped to help, and emergency medical personnel began life-saving efforts.
Meise was transported by ambulance to Froedtert Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office said Meise had no known medical history.
His official cause of death has not yet been determined, and the medical examiner’s office is continuing its investigation.
Meise’s wife, Lauren, told local media that although this was his first half marathon, he had been an avid runner for about six years.
She remembered him first and foremost as a devoted father.
“He was the best dad in the world and he lived for his kids,” she said.
Meise leaves behind Lauren and their four children: Mason, 11, Owen, 8, Lucy, 4, and Isla, 1.
Family members described him as warm, funny and deeply devoted to the people around him.
A fundraiser organized to help the family with funeral expenses and other immediate needs described Meise as the center of his family’s world.
“John was a husband, father, son, brother, and so much more,” his sister-in-law wrote.
Loved ones said he had a way of making people feel welcome and cared for, and that his death has left an enormous hole in the lives of those closest to him.
Race organizers also released a statement expressing condolences to Meise’s family and thanking the medical teams, first responders, volunteers and public safety personnel who responded.
The Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon said it maintains established medical and emergency-response procedures throughout race weekend, including on-course medical support and coordinated emergency planning.
Organizers said Meise’s death was the first participant fatality in the event’s 44-year history.
Roughly 6,000 runners took part in the marathon and half marathon on Sunday.
The half marathon began in downtown Milwaukee, wound through lakefront neighborhoods and crossed the Hoan Bridge before returning toward the finish.
For Meise, what was supposed to be a personal milestone ended in tragedy just before he completed the race.
His family is now remembering him not for what happened on the course, but for the husband, father and friend he was throughout his life.
The medical examiner’s investigation remains ongoing.
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