A 24-year-old man participating in the Portland Marathon tragically collapsed and passed away from cardiac arrest just a mile after running over to kiss his Korean-American wife during the race. The bright smile of the husband as he resumed running toward the finish line remains the final memory his wife holds of him.
Trayton Lara, who worked as a youth minister, was just days away from his 25th birthday when he passed away during the Portland Marathon in Oregon on October 4.
Lara’s wife, Audrey Shin-Lara, recently recalled the final moments she shared with her husband in an interview with local broadcaster KPTV.
Shin-Lara shared, “I saw him around the 18 to 19-mile mark. He ran over to me, smiled, kissed me, and ran off again. He still looked very healthy at the time.” However, Lara suddenly collapsed at the 20-mile mark when his heart stopped. Although rushed to the hospital where medical staff attempted resuscitation, he ultimately passed away.
Shin-Lara noted that her husband had prepared for the marathon for months and had no known underlying health conditions. There were no warning signs on the morning of the accident either. Running was his way of relieving stress and finding inner peace.
Overwhelmed by the sudden parting, Shin-Lara expressed that she still cannot believe her husband’s death. She shared, “Grief comes in waves. At times, it still doesn’t feel real. When I wake up, I almost expect him to be right beside me.”
Lara dedicated his life to youth ministry, working alongside other leaders to drive positive change in the community, and even helped launch the youth camp ‘Camp Genesis’ this past summer.
He was also known as a warm presence among family and friends. Shin-Lara recalled, “He loved his family and friends just as much as he loved Jesus. He was the best older brother to his siblings and a affectionate uncle to his cousins and friends’ children.”
The couple shared their daily lives with their pet white Golden Retriever.
Tributes for the late runner continue to pour in on the GoFundMe fundraising page set up to support his grieving family. The page describes Lara as someone who loved movies, photography, and cooking, and was gregarious enough to easily make friends with anyone. The fundraiser was launched to help cover funeral expenses, medical bills, and living costs for the family, surpassing $100,000 as of 5 PM on the 13th.
Despite the sudden farewell, Shin-Lara expressed that her love for her husband will never change as she shared her final words for him.
“He was the love of my life and forever will be. We will see each other again one day.”
