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Army Veteran Dies Moments After Completing Half-Marathon in San Diego
15 Nov
Summary
- 28-year-old Army veteran from California died shortly after finishing a half-marathon
- Veteran had overcome PTSD and rebuilt his life by the ocean
- Family awaiting autopsy results to understand sudden death
On November 13, 2025, a 28-year-old Army veteran from California, Scottie Williams, collapsed and died shortly after finishing the Silver Strand Veterans Day Half Marathon in San Diego. Williams, who had previously served in Korea and Syria as a transport driver, had struggled with PTSD after returning from Syria but had slowly rebuilt his life, living outdoors, working at a ski resort, and eventually moving to San Diego, a city that his mother said helped him heal.
In San Diego, Williams had found happiness, a new home near the beach, and a supportive relationship with his girlfriend, Bree Rivera, who had been waiting for him at the finish line. Just two days before the race, Williams had shown his mother his new apartment and told her he planned to "secretly marry" Rivera.
However, tragedy struck when Williams collapsed near a water station shortly after completing the half-marathon. On-site medics performed CPR for nearly 90 minutes but were unable to revive him. His mother, Katherine Yglesias-Herrera, said she is struggling to understand how her healthy and athletic son, who had run several half-marathons before, died so suddenly. The family is now awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
