Yahoo News Tributes paid to runner who completed 83 marathons, who has died from coronavirus
Tributes have been paid to Anick Jesdanun (known as Nick), a 51-year-old runner with no underlying health conditions who has died from coronavirus. In a now viral Facebook post, Nick’s family share his story, ‘to honour Nick by sharing his COVID19 story as a way to spread the word and help save lives.’
‘Nick was the picture of health. He had no underlying health problems and would not be considered high risk by any means. This past November he ran his 83rd full marathon. In fact, he had run so many New York City Marathons (15!) he was now guaranteed entry for life’, his cousin Prinda Mulpramook shares.
‘Although he had been feeling sick and tested positive for the virus, he did not require [hospitalisation]. He did everything he was supposed to do – resting in his apartment in complete isolation. By the end of last week, his condition had started improving. On Saturday, he went to the doctor to get his vitals checked. His lungs were clear, and all vitals were in good range.
‘This week started off well, still feeling like he was slowly recovering. But Wednesday was a sudden setback, and he spent most of the day in bed. By 4:30am yesterday he was in the ER with some breathing issues. 13 hours later we lost him.’
AP mourns the loss of "a kind and gentle colleague." Anick Jesdanun, deputy technology editor, died in New York City on Thursday of coronavirus-related complications. He was 51. https://t.co/D6YJhcb9uG
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 3, 2020
Nick was also the deputy technology editor for The Associated Press, and the publication have been mourning the loss of a ‘kind and gentle colleague’. Nicks’ cousin, Risa Harms, told the AP that his running was something he discovered later in life and that ‘it was a life force for him, a way for him to see the world and to meet people. He’s a doer. He’s not somebody who felt comfortable being a recreational tourist. He visited a place and wanted to have something to do there. So he did a marathon.’
‘All the travels have opened my eyes to a bigger world. Races have taken me to corners that tourists wouldn’t normally stumble on,' Nick wrote in this article, published in the Swarthmore College Bulletin.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad time.
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