A 31-year-old former college football player, Charles Rogers, collapsed while running in the Brooklyn Half Marathon on Saturday, May 17. First responders rushed him to a local hospital, where Rogers tragically died.
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According to the New York Post, the incident unfolded at around 8:11 a.m. at Ocean Parkway and 18th Avenue. At around mile 8, Rogers went into cardiac arrest and collapsed to the ground. EMS workers arrived at the scene and performed CPR on Rogers. He was rushed to Maimonides Medical, where, unfortunately, he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving.
New York Road Runners Chief Communications and Community Coordinator Crystal Howard addressed the incident by issuing a statement.
“It is with sadness and heavy hearts that we confirm the passing of one of today’s race participants,” Howard said. “On behalf of the whole running community, we extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones.”
Remembering Charles Rogers
Rogers’s wife, Sydney Rogers, confirmed the news of her husband’s death to the Post.
“Charles put everything he had into everything he did,” Sydney said from her Manhattan home. “While he leaves behind a wife and family that already miss him terribly, he loved being competitive and left us being 100% himself.”
According to the Men’s Journal, Charles “Ace” Rogers played college football for both Lindenwood University and the University of Minnesota. Lindwood Football honored Rogers’s legacy by posting about him on social media.
“The Lindenwood Football family mourns the loss of Ace Rogers,” Lindenwood wrote on X. “Our thoughts & prayers go out to his wife Sydney, his parents Teresa Jordan & Charles Rogers, and the rest of his family.”
After his time as a college football player, Rogers started working at Verizon in New York City in 2020. As per the Post, he was running the Brooklyn Half Marathon to support young runners, promoting a fundraiser before the event.
“Join me in supporting Team for Kids, a team of adult runners dedicated to raising funds for New York Road Runners youth and community programs,” Rogers wrote on social media and in a New York Road Runners fundraiser. “Your donation will help empower youth and communities to develop and encourage healthy habits via running.”