Photo: Getty Images
An Ohio State University medical student died suddenly on Saturday (August 6) while participating in a bike-a-thon for cancer research, according to FOX News.
27-year-old Mason Fisher was at the 100-mile mark of the 102-mile ride when he suddenly passed away. Fisher's family told the Columbus Dispatch he had a "heart-related issue" towards the end of the Pelotonia ride.
This year's race was Fisher's third Palatino ride, having participated in his first back in 2014. In a lengthy Facebook post from June, Fisher wrote about how passionate he was about the race. "I’m excited to ride 102 miles for such a great cause and to help raise money and bring awareness to Pelotonia," Fisher wrote. "Over the past few years, I’ve seen how cancer diagnoses have affected my family and friends. It makes it THAT much more important for me to do my small part."
Fisher's Pelotonia fundraising page said he was riding in memory of his friend Henry, who died of colorectal cancer in 2021. His mother is also a cancer survivor. In addition, Fisher had Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a rare condition that makes one more likely to get cancer.
Pelotonia and Ohio State University President Kristina M. Johnson both issued statements regarding Fisher's passing. "We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends," Pelotonia wrote on Twitter. "The death of a student impacts the entire Buckeye Family and I know that all of us send our deepest expressions of sympathy to his parents, family, and friends," Johnson said.