Charles Rogers wasn’t supposed to be a headline for anything other than his speed.
He was an athlete’s athlete. A former Division I defensive back for the Minnesota Gophers, known to friends and teammates as "Ace," the guy was basically the definition of "fit." You don't play safety in the Big Ten or win Iowa state track titles in hurdles without having a heart that can handle some serious work.
But on a Saturday morning in May 2025, that narrative shattered.
Rogers was roughly eight miles into the Brooklyn Half Marathon when his body just... stopped. He collapsed near the intersection of Ocean Parkway and 18th Avenue. Despite immediate CPR on the sidewalk and a quick rush to Maimonides Medical Center, the 31-year-old was pronounced dead.
It’s the kind of story that sends a chill through the running community. If a guy who played high-level college football can't survive a half marathon, what hope do the rest of us have? Honestly, it’s a terrifying question.
The Morning on Ocean Parkway
The Brooklyn Half is iconic. You start by the Brooklyn Museum, loop through Prospect Park, and then hit the long, straight shot down Ocean Parkway toward the finish line at Coney Island.
Rogers was running for a cause. He was part of the NYRR Team for Kids, raising money for youth programs. He’d posted on Facebook just weeks earlier, inviting people to support the mission. He wasn't just there to burn calories; he was there for the community.
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Reports from the day indicate he suffered cardiac arrest at 8:11 a.m.
Think about that timing. He was eight miles in. Most runners will tell you that’s where the "work" actually starts. The adrenaline of the start has faded, and the mental grind begins. But Rogers was an elite athlete. Eight miles at a half-marathon pace should have been a standard Saturday for him.
His wife, Sydney, later told the New York Post that Charles "put everything he had into everything he did." He was competitive. He was himself.
A History of Grit and Injury
To understand why this hit the sports world so hard, you have to look at Rogers’ career.
He didn't have an easy path. He started at Iowa State in 2012, then moved to Iowa Western Community College, where he earned All-America honors. Eventually, he landed at the University of Minnesota.
His time with the Gophers was defined by a massive amount of talent hampered by bad luck. He played three games in 2015, recording 11 tackles, but injuries sidelined him for most of that year and the entirety of 2016. He didn't quit, though. He transferred to Lindenwood University in Missouri to finish his career in 2017.
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He was a fighter.
After football, he transitioned into a "normal" life in New York City, working as a specialist for Verizon. But he never stopped being an athlete. His Strava and social media showed a man who stayed active, stayed healthy, and lived for the challenge.
Why Do Fit Runners Collapse?
When someone like Charles Rogers dies during a race, people immediately look for something to blame. Was it the heat? Was it an undiagnosed condition?
In 2022, another runner, David Reichman, died at the same race during a period of extreme humidity. That year, 15 others were hospitalized. People often conflate these two incidents because they happened at the same event, but Rogers' death in 2025 brought those safety conversations back to the forefront.
Medical experts, like Dr. Brett Nowlan, have pointed out that in young, seemingly healthy athletes, these "medical episodes" are often linked to things no one checks for. We're talking about:
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: A condition where the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick.
- Anomalous cardiac arteries: A genetic quirk where the arteries are essentially "plumbed" wrong.
- Undetected plaque build-up: Rare for a 31-year-old, but not impossible.
The scary part? You don't know you have it until you're pushing your body to the absolute limit. For Rogers, that limit arrived on Ocean Parkway.
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The Fallout and the Community Response
The reaction was swift. The Minnesota Gophers released a statement saying their hearts were "broken." Lindenwood Football shared their grief.
His sister, Tiffany Bass, organized a memorial in their hometown of Iowa City. She described him as the "oldest sibling" who built lifelong friendships. It wasn't just a loss for the running world; it was a hole left in a family.
There's a GoFundMe for his wife, Sydney, that saw an outpouring of support. It’s a small consolation, but it shows the tight-knit nature of both the football and running communities.
Lessons for the Rest of Us
We can't just move on and pretend this was a freak accident without learning something. If you’re training for the Brooklyn Half—or any race—there are nuances to safety that go beyond "drink water."
- Get a Cardiac Screen: If you’re going to be a high-intensity athlete, a standard physical might not be enough. Ask for an EKG or even a stress test if you have a family history of heart issues.
- Humidity is a Silent Killer: It’s not just the temperature. High humidity prevents your sweat from evaporating, which means your body can't cool down. If the humidity is over 80%, throw your "Personal Best" goals out the window.
- Listen to the "Quiet" Signs: Cardiac arrest isn't always a sudden "clutching the chest" moment. Sometimes it starts as extreme lightheadedness or a feeling of "doom" that feels different from regular fatigue.
Charles "Ace" Rogers left the world doing what he loved—being competitive and giving 100%. He was a husband, a brother, and a teammate. While the Brooklyn Half will continue to draw tens of thousands of runners every year, his story serves as a sober reminder that even the strongest among us are vulnerable.
If you are currently training, take a beat to check in with your doctor. It’s worth the extra appointment.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Schedule a sports physical: Specifically ask for a cardiovascular screening if you plan on running long distances.
- Monitor the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT): Don't just check the "feels like" temp; look at the WBGT for a more accurate measure of heat stress during runs.
- Support the cause: Consider donating to Team for Kids, the charity Rogers supported, to keep his philanthropic legacy alive.