After Miracle Boston Marathon Rescue, Helpers To Be Saluted

NATICK, MA — A group of Natick and Framingham medics, firefighters and police will be recognized on Wednesday for helping to save the life of a runner who collapsed and went into cardiac arrest during the October event.

Megan Roth, of Edina, Minn., was approaching the Natick border along Route 135 during the Oct. 11 race when she suddenly collapsed. The 34-year-old elite runner crumpled to the ground and turned blue. Several bystanders and runners stopped to help.

"I eased into the first mile and was just cruising along," Roth wrote in a Facebook post about the incident. "As the miles just started ticking away, I stopped, I dead stopped as in seconds my life literally went crashing down. I had blacked out before I even hit the ground."

One helper was marathoner and Oregon paramedic Nick Haney, who new Roth from other running events. Haney, California doctor David Pai and runner Tanner Smith all began treating Roth with CPR and other maneuvers. When Natick Fire Department paramedics took over, the three men were able to continue on and finish the race, according to an account of the life-saving event in Runner's World.

Roth had finished the 2019 Boston Marathon in under 3 hours, and was attempting to shave two minutes off her time in 2021.

After the heart attack, medics took Roth to MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham for treatment. She was later taken to Tufts Medical Center in Boston, where she underwent surgery to implant a defibrillator.

The Wednesday ceremony will take place beginning at 11 a.m. at the main Natick Fire Station, 22 East Central St. Among those who will receive medal are Natick fire Capt. Eric Williamson, Lt. Matt Mullen, firefighters Kyle Sammon, firefighter Jeff Libby, firefighter Dan Gould, Natick police Officer Scott Wade and paramedics from Framingham Brewster EMS.