DULUTH, Minnesota. — A man died after participating in an inline skating marathon in Duluth this weekend, just weeks after becoming a father.
Northshore Inline Marathon organizers say they are “deeply saddened by the passing of Mike Lufholm” following Saturday’s event.
The circumstances surrounding Lufholm’s death are unclear. In a statement released Sunday on Facebook, organizers thanked participants “who came to the aid of a fellow skater, the first responders, and the medical professionals who provided medical care.”
According to the organizers, Lufholm “has had a huge impact on the roller skating community.”
A GoFundMe page was set up to help his young family, including his 3-week-old daughter. Michelle Connelly, the page’s organizer, said Lufholm “passed away suddenly” during the marathon.
Rachel Lufholm
“Skating was a passion that brought him so much happiness. In addition to being an athlete, Mike was an avid photographer and nature lover. His zest for life came through his art,” Connelly said.
More than $2,000 has been raised for the Lufholm family so far.
According to event organizers, the NorthShore Inline Marathon is now in its 28th year, describing the 39-mile (63-kilometer) race as “one of the most iconic inline skating events in the United States.”
Lufholm’s death comes just days after the death of the 27-year-old Blake Joseph Groulx collapsed during the City of Lakes Half Marathon in Minneapolis and later diedGroulx’s obituary states that he died of “heart problems while completing the final stretch” of the race.
Groulx’s family asks that any donations go to The Bridge for Youth or the American Heart Association.
