An Army veteran collapsed and died moments after finishing a half-marathon in San Diego, leaving his mother devastated. Scottie Williams, 28, was a healthy and athletic son who completed several half-marathons before his sudden death. His mother, Katherine Yglesias-Herrera, still struggles to understand how her son could die so suddenly.
Yglesias-Herrera recounted the heartbreaking moments leading up to her son’s collapse, revealing that he had been planning to marry his girlfriend in secret. Despite appearing perfectly fine two days before the race, Williams tragically collapsed near a water station after crossing the finish line.
An autopsy has been completed, but the family is left with more questions than answers. Yglesias-Herrera remembers their last conversation vividly, where Williams showed her his new apartment and shared his plans for the future.
Williams, who served in the US Army for eight years, had been struggling with PTSD after returning from deployments in Syria and South Korea. Despite his struggles, he refused medication and focused on healing himself through other means.
After leaving the Army, Williams found solace in living in a camper on the back of his truck while working at a ski resort. He eventually moved to San Diego, where he met his girlfriend, Rivera. The couple had just moved into a new apartment and were planning a future together.
Williams’ sudden death has left his family and community in shock, with a GoFundMe page set up to raise funds for his funeral. The family is still coming to terms with the loss of a beloved son and veteran who had overcome so much in his short life.
Deciding to marry her secretly, he thought, “I’m just going to pick up and secret marry her.”
His mother, Yglesias-Herrera, recalled the moment and said, “I said, ‘Do it.'”
At that point in his life, he was the happiest. He had a new little apartment by the beach, a perfect girlfriend who made him smile and filled his days with joy.
Williams’ funeral is planned for next weekend in Ridgecrest.
When asked about her late son, Yglesias-Herrera paused, tears welling up in her eyes, and said, “He was amazing.”
She continued, “One of the best people I know. My girls always said I loved him so much—I love all my kids the same. But he was… he was something more…”
