Traverse City Record-Eagle

Archive: Saturday

April 27, 2008

ESPN to air Ryan Shay segment

FROM STAFF REPORTS

TRAVERSE CITY -- Tuesday night's ESPN newsmagazine show E:60 will feature a segment on Ryan Shay -- through the eyes of his wife Alicia, his parents and his coaches.

It will air at 7 p.m.

An elite runner, the Central Lake native died unexpectedly 5.5 miles into last November's U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in New York City. The 28-year old Shay fell to the pavement, and subsequently died of a heart ailment.

Shay was a five-time national champion at Notre Dame befoire turning to marathon running. His dream was to one day qualify for the Olympics.

E:60 reporter Lisa Salters sits down with Shay's widow, Alicia, to explore his running career and sudden death. Alicia recalls her last words to Ryan and her impressions of him when she saw him running barely a mile before he took his last steps. She also recounts her struggle to move forward without her husband and best friend while she continues to train for the U.S. women's Olympic trials in the 10,000 meters.

"I just think about him all the time," Alicia tells E:60. "I'd like to say that I feel his presence with me all the time, but in all honesty there is a huge void."

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