Runner Dies During Brooklyn Half Marathon, Community Mourns

Brooklyn, NY — A 31-year-old man collapsed and died while running the Brooklyn Half Marathon on Saturday morning, according to race officials. Charles Rogers, participating in the race for the first time, collapsed at approximately 8:11 a.m. along Ocean Parkway, near the 8-mile mark of the course.

Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of New York Road Runners (NYRR), expressed the organization’s condolences in a statement. “It is with sadness and heavy hearts that we confirm the passing of one of today’s race participants. On behalf of the whole running community, we extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones,” he said.

Emergency medical services performed CPR at the scene before transporting Rogers to Maimonides Medical Center, where he could not be resuscitated. His wife, Sydney Rogers, confirmed his death from their home in Lower Manhattan, saying, “Charles put everything he had into everything he did.”

Rogers was a Small Medium Business (SMB) Specialist with Verizon and was running to support Team for Kids, a charity benefiting youth running programs. Since 2022, the Brooklyn Half Marathon has seen tragic incidents, including the death of another runner, David Reichman, who died shortly after crossing the finish line in 2022.

More than 28,000 participants were expected for this year’s race, which began near the Brooklyn Museum and made its way through Prospect Park before ending at the Coney Island Boardwalk. Weather conditions on Saturday reached a high of 83 degrees, raising concerns about runner safety.

NYRR stated that significant measures were taken to ensure runner safety, including additional hydration stations and misting stations to help combat the heat. Despite these precautions, the day proved to be tragic for Rogers and his family.