Running: Tragedy In Utica

Monday, July 09, 2007 - 05:49 PM

Whitesboro Grad Dies During Boilermaker Race

Sean O'Neill was excited about his upcoming year-long trip to Japan when his friend Christine Scatko last saw him two weeks ago.

The 2001 Whitesboro High graduate had been studying Japanese and he loved the culture, Scatko said. He had on his schedule going-away parties in Brooklyn, his place of residence for the past year, and back home in the Mohawk Valley.

"He was the nicest guy ever," Scatko said. "I don't think he had a mean bone in his body."

Today, family and friends mourn O'Neill, 24, who died after collapsing on Memorial Parkway during Sunday's 15K Boilermaker Road Race, authorities said.

An autopsy is scheduled for this morning, Oneida County Coroner Mark Bentz's office said.

O'Neill is the second Boilermaker runner to die in recent years. Karl Carlson, 71, of Ilion died in 2004 of an apparent heart attack after collapsing in the 5K training run.

Scatko, who originally is from New Hartford, met O'Neill 10 years ago when they were both campers at Camp Nazareth in Woodgate. He was an avid skateboarder, she said.

After graduating from Whitesboro, he attended Mohawk Valley Community College and later transferred to SUNY Albany, Scatko said.

Scatko, who lives and works in Boston, was home this weekend for a graduation party and for the Boilermaker. Several members of her family ran the race, she said.

She plans on returning to the area for O'Neill's funeral services.

O'Neill had a generous spirit, Scatko said. She recalled his desire to donate an extensive sneaker collection to homeless people who might not otherwise have decent footwear.

In her last meeting with O'Neill, he discussed how attending a Japanese tea ceremony made him anticipate his upcoming trip to Japan.

"He was excited to go, but he was also sad," Scatko said. "He thought he was going to miss out on all his friends and what they were doing in Brooklyn."

Boilermaker officials, including Race Director Bob Ingalls and incoming Executive Director Sam Constantino, had no comment Sunday.

Medical Coordinator Dan Broedel on Sunday morning confirmed a runner had a "serious illness" and said comment would be forthcoming. But Broedel did not return telephone messages the remainder of Sunday.

Among the unanswered questions about O'Neill's death:

•What caused O'Neill to collapse and what treatment did he receive at the scene?

•How long after O'Neill collapsed did an ambulance arrive?

•How many ambulances were stationed along the course, and where were they?