Man who died in Oak Island half marathon was in military

OAK ISLAND, NC (WWAY) — The man who died during the Oak Island Lighthouse Run this weekend was a 25-year-old from out of state, and officials say he was in the military. One runner says he saw the man just before he died.

“We saw a runner off to the side of the road,” Greg Zinner, half-marathon participant, said. “We asked him if he was okay and he said yes he was.”

Zinner ran past that man about 12.5 miles into the Oak Island Lighthouse half marathon thinking he just had a cramp. Later he realized it may have been more than that.

“Several minutes later I heard the sound of ambulances going down to the scene,” Zinner said. “It was just a matter of minutes before EMTs were there.”

The man was pronounced dead.

Zinner, among others, says that it was a very warm day to run a race. Other runners told us that there may not have been enough water throughout the course.

“There was one part of the course that there was no water for three miles right next to the beach in just broad sun,” Bianca MacMullen said. “A lot of us had to stop what we were doing and just walk it, or we would’ve gotten way too dehydrated way too fast.”

We reached out to the Southport-Oak Island Chamber of Commerce, which put on the event. The group said it they followed proper water protocol and had plenty for runners.

The Oak Island Police Department says the man’s family has been notified, but his name has not been released. His body has been sent for autopsy, and the cause of his death is not known at this time.