Mount Marathon Racer's Fall Caught on Camera

July 11, 2012|By Rebecca Palsha | Channel 2 News

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — As the family of a Mount Marathon Race runner reported missing after the Independence Day event schedules a celebration of life for him this week, at least two other runners have reported receiving major injuries in the race -- including a woman whose fall was caught on camera.

Penny Assman fell off some rocks and ended up in the hospital for five days. In photos taken by Carol Griswold, Bear Creek Fire Department EMT Autumn Ludwig reaches for Assman as she falls at about 12:50 p.m. on July 4.

Ludwig says she heard someone yell, ‘She’s falling.’ When she looked up she saw Assman reaching for some tree branches to stop herself, but after that didn’t work Ludwig reached up to try to help.

“I was scared for her, I was scared for myself,” Ludwig said. “I don’t have anything in my head other than, 'I need to stop her and this is really going to hurt.' Luckily I had a hard hat on.”

Race veteran Matthew Kenney also fell in a nearby area, suffering a broken skull and leg. Family spokesperson Brad Precosky said doctors will try to take Kenney off of drugs that have kept him in a coma for several days now, and that the swelling in his brain started to go down Tuesday.

In other Mount Marathon developments, the family of missing Mount Marathon racer Michael LeMaitre will have a celebration of life for him Friday. LeMaitre, 66, was last seen by race officials at about 6 p.m. on Independence Day about 200 feet from the top of the mountain.

The celebration will be at the City Church, a 1301 W. 100th Ave., at 7 p.m. Friday. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that people donate money in LeMaitre’s name to the Seward Volunteer Fire Department, which has been instrumental in organizing searches for him.

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