Eagan Teacher, 41, Collapsed And Died During 25K Race

COOK COUNTY, MN — A 41-year-old Eagan High School (EHS) teacher died over the weekend while running a race in northern Minnesota. The Cook County Sheriff's Office, along with additional first responders on site, attempted unsuccessfully to revive Jon Mathson, a participant of the Superior Spring Trail Race on Saturday, May 20.

Authorities say a 911 call came in at 10:59 a.m. Saturday, stating that a male runner had collapsed on the trail between Moose Mountain and Mystery Mountain while running the 25 kilometer race. A group of responders, including four nurses and an off-duty deputy on scene, performed CPR and worked to resuscitate the athlete unsuccessfully.

Mathson was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a news release. The official cause of death has not yet been determined; an autopsy will be completed. Lutsen First Responders, Cook County Ambulance, and Cook County SAR all responded.

Mathson had been teaching at EHS since 2007. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and a Master's Degree at St. Mary's University. Mathson taught Physical Earth Science for 9th grade and Chemistry Fundamentals for 11th and 12th grade. He also coached for the school's science olympiad team, according to the EHS website.

Mathson was a three-time finisher of the 25KM Superior Trail Race. "Our hearts go out to the family of Mr. Mathson, the Superior Spring Trail Race community, and our first responders for this shocking and difficult loss," said Sheriff Pat Eliasen in a statement.

A GoFundMe page for Mathson describes him as an amazing man, husband, father, son, brother, teacher, and friend. "Jon had a love of many things bicycling, birding, nature, teaching, beer, and the North Shore but the things that he loved the most were his wife Becky and his two sons Dylan and Ryan," the description reads. "As we grieve, we must also remember that in addition to these tragic losses, there is now a family facing a terrible uphill climb in the coming months. This campaign, organized by close friends and family, aims to defray any upcoming costs both Becky and Dylan will encounter both in the immediate and distant future."

Image via GoFundMe