SCRANTON, Pa. -- A mother of three died after running a half marathon in Pennsylvania over the weekend, stunning friends and family who described her as a tireless "super mom."
Lindsay Doherty, 36, collapsed just after finishing the Scranton Half Marathon Sunday.
The Lackawanna County Coroner's Office told WNEP that Doherty died of abdominal bleeding caused by a ruptured vein.
Coroner Tim Rowland said that the condition is rare. He noted that since Doherty collapsed at the finish line, emergency medical technicians were able to attend to her right away.
But even that could not save her life.
Doherty's friends told WNEP she was a "super mom" who worked with multiple community groups. She volunteered at St. Clare/St. Paul Catholic School in Scranton, where the principal says she was active in the parent-teacher association.
Her neighbors in Scranton's Green Ridge section said they cannot believe a woman so active and athletic could die so young.
"Disbelief, at first – 36 years old, you just don't think it can happen," said Mark Seitzinger of the Green Ridge Neighborhood Association. "As people started talking about it a little bit more, it started to hit home a little bit more. It's sad, just sad that it's in the community."
Doherty also worked for the Diocese of Scranton raising money for Catholic education.
Bishop Joseph Bambera released a statement saying: "Lindsay was a bright, energetic young woman and a devoted wife and mother. Our thoughts and prayers are with her husband, three young children, and her family."
Many of her friends will gather Monday at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul's Church on Penn Avenue in Scranton for a prayer service to celebrate her life, and comfort each other.
