St. Petersburg, Florida -- A woman determined to lose weight and get healthy died this weekend at the Meek and Mighty Triathlon Junior event she was competing in in St. Pete. Tonight 10 News Reporter Sarah Hagen spoke with the woman's family who had a message about getting healthy:
"It's very strenuous...if she would've contacted me days earlier, I am sure I would've convinced her that she isn't ready for that [and to] build endurance, for something grueling like that," said Lenard Williams.
Felicia Williams was 44-years-old. Her family says she was a musically talented woman and fluent in Spanish. She had worked in real estate and banking. Seven months ago, her brother died of congestive heart failure. Being obese with heart disease runs in the family. Her family says she was determined to take back her life.
"You cant tell her no. If you say no, she turns that into a yes," said her mother.
Williams was swimming her last lap in the pool, people were cheering her on, even swimming beside her for support and then she just stopped.
"I am proud of her for trying but sad of the outcome of this," said her father.
The family shared this message to others with similar determination: "Be under doctors care, build up endurance. [You] can't just jump up and walk out the door and run [a] 26-mile marathon. She trained hard, [made] many adjustments, but I don't think it was enough."
This is the first death in the history of the triathlon competition.
