Father-of-four dies after collapsing during first half marathon in Milwaukee

A 36-year-old father of four died Sunday after collapsing near the finish line of his first half marathon in Milwaukee.

John Meise fell at the 13-mile mark of the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon around 10 a.m., just 600 feet from the end. A fellow runner assisted him, and emergency medical technicians and hospital staff at Froedtert Hospital attempted to revive him, but he was pronounced dead shortly after.

Officials have not released a cause of death. A separate fundraising appeal notes that Meise had no previous health conditions.

Meise is survived by his wife, Lauren, and their four children: Mason, 11; Owen, 8; Lucy, 4; and Isla, 1. He worked as a brand and digital marketing manager at QuadMed and graduated in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

"On October 4, our family experienced an unimaginable loss," his sister-in-law, Kristin Bennett, wrote on a GoFundMe page. "He was the best dad in the world and he lived for his kids," Lauren said.

The fundraising campaign has collected more than $66,000 toward a $70,000 goal to support the family and cover funeral expenses.

The race course followed Lake Michigan through downtown Milwaukee and crossed the Hoan Bridge, a landmark usually closed to pedestrians. A race spokesperson expressed condolences and emphasized that participant safety remains a priority during event planning.