Boston Marathon runner survives cardiac arrest

Longtime runner Meghan Roth was going for her personal record in the Boston Marathon when she collapsed at mile 8. A nearby spectator noticed Meghan’s fall and checked for a pulse. Fellow runners stopped the race to assist. They called 911, started CPR, and waited for nearby EMS to arrive with an AED.

After three shocks, Meghan was taken to Tufts Medical Center for treatment and installation of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. Less than a week later, she was home in Minnesota, back to being a mom and fitness coach.

Doctors attributed Meghan's cardiac arrest to a family history of heart disease and myocarditis (inflammation of the heart) resulting from a recent case of COVID-19.

Meghan plans to run again in the 2023 Boston Marathon, knowing that her implantable defibrillator will jumpstart her heart if necessary.

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