A great athlete has passed away

September 3, 2010 8:15 AM

A great athlete has passed away Jim McLaren passed away on August 30, 2010. Jim was an athlete and graduate of Yale University. He lost part of one leg, but came back to kickass times in marathons and triathlons – including Ironman. He did Kona in less than 11 hours. Then, during the 1993 Orange Country Triathlon a volunteer misjudged his speed and waved a waiting van forward. The van collided with Jim and sent him into a signpost, making him a quadriplegic. He went on to be a motivational speaker, was the genesis behind the CAF and won an Arthur Ashe Courage Award (2005).
posted by fluffycreature (5 comments total)

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posted by L.P. Hatecraft at 9:15 AM on September 3, 2010

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posted by sciurus at 9:33 AM on September 3, 2010

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posted by jquinby at 10:01 AM on September 3, 2010

Incredible. Out of prurient curiosity, how did he die? There's no mention in the links except for a "lengthy illness."
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 10:13 AM on September 3, 2010

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What an amazing individual.
posted by Megami at 12:28 PM on September 3, 2010