Emilie Mondor dies in car crash

Even worse because it was totally unecessary.

Seatbelts do save lives.

So sad that someone so young is dead and might have been saved.

I was in the press room at the IAAF WAF Finals in Stuttgart taking notes during the Tyson Gay press conference when I was told by another reporter about this.

Not wanting to believe this, I called a good friend of mine and former Canadian national team member to confirm the story.

As I sit here in the Stuttgart airport waiting to fly to Athens to cover the World Cup, I feel a sense of numbness and shock while reading thru the accounts of her death online.

Emilie ran in several races in the Seattle area, including the Seattle Open Cross Country Classic, which I directed. Emilie was always very supportive of this event, and often encouraged other runners from BC to drive down to Seattle to run in my little cross country race.

I will be thinking of Emilie in Athens this weekend when the women's 5000 will be run.

I will miss Emilie as a runner and for her contributions to the sport in Canada. Most importantly, I will miss her as a friend.

As a poster said, please wear your seat belt. The life you save may be your own.

Emilie, I love you. God speed.

Paul Merca

Race Director--Seattle Open Cross Country Classic

May I add "slow down" also when driving a vehicle...

Such a trajedy. A young person leaving this place too soon; may her life inspire others strive to be the best they can be.

Some great racing pictures and insight into what she was all about on her website.

Like many of you, I recall Emily being a great competitor and an encouraging person. When she was competing with SFU in NAIA's Region I, she at first caught my women's team off-guard when she would come up to them after a meet, speak normally with them and encourage them. The slowest on our team came to me after the 2002 mudbath Region I champs and said, "Coach, Emily Mondor said I did really good today!"

Pardon my spelling of Emilie's name in my previous post.

I must say I'm really enjoying everyone's contributions to this thread. This is a nice way to celebrate a life well lived.

Pete wrote:

This is making me very, very sad.

I met Emilie at a race in Toronto this year (she fnished ahead of me). I saw her standing by herself, and I was kinda starstruck but decided to go up and say congrats. She smiled, said thanks, and we wound up shooting the shit for about five minutes. She was bubbling over with enthusiasm about her training and racing, and asked me about my racing. She was very gracious, giving this schmuck plenty of her time, and showing a genuine interest in my training and racing.

What a nice lady. What a tremendous loss. She'll be missed.

Pete, I saw her at that race (Docks 5k?) too and I was shocked to see her, an Olympian, right there, jogging around at the start with the rest of us. Contrary to you, I always thought she was quiet, reserved and intensely focused. I didn't know, as you and others have pointed out, that she was so outgoing and enthusiastic when it came to talking about her running as well as that of amateurs like you and I.

Thanks for sharing that side of her. It may have seemed obvious to those who knew her, even for a little bit, but not to me.

second canadian wrote:I always thought she was quiet, reserved and intensely focused. I didn't know, as you and others have pointed out, that she was so outgoing and enthusiastic when it came to talking about her running as well as that of amateurs like you and I.

I had a similar experience to many here. My wife handed me the paper yesterday and I was shocked to see the article and even more shocked to find out she was living in the Ottawa area, where we are.

I saw her win the 2002 XC Nationals in Moncton and got to chat with her in a group of people waiting for the shuttle going back to the hotel after the races were over.

She seemed like a really lovely, genuine person. Like everyone I am shocked to see her so suddenly pass.

i'm still sick over this news. what a horrible tragedy.

i've known emilie over the years enough to chat with her at races we were in together. i was lightyears behind her but she was very friendly to me and others. i'll never forget watching her warm up at harry jerome in her break-out 1500m race in 2002. the meet was delayed but she warmed up on time and she must have done 30 strides before the race started. a number of us were watching her in the stands near the 1500m start line, criticizing her and telling each other "someone should stop her. she's gonna tire herself out." then we proceed to watch her hammer the crap out of everyone and dust them off to run something like 4:11. my jaw dropped.

it's not an exaggeration to say i've never met or seen anyone with the same intensity as emilie.

That's a great anecdote about the strides. It was really an indicator of her extreme fitness at the moment, as well as her awareness of it- and further proof of her aerobic talents. She probably would have excelled at the marathon, if not come to be a true challenger to Paula and Deena.

I was really looking forward to her running here in NY this year.

Unbelievablely sad news....

Kids- remember- you are fragile beings- take care of yourselves!!!

I know I am not the only one who is thinking of Steve Prefontaine right now. Both Prefrontaine and Mondor were headstrong indivduals. Both lives lost before their times, both deaths that might have been prevented. Sad paralells indeed. Another poster on this thread mentioned Mondor's last minute apperance at Rochester's Run for Hospice, last year I saw there there too. She was very entertaining - speaking to the crowd, very funny, shaking hands - a lot of energy. She was registered to run the race again this year and I will miss her presence and doubt that I am alone. I wish all the best to her family and friends in this tragic time. The running community has suffered a huge loss.There is an article about her here that reflects what a special individual she was:http://www.runforhospice.com/media2005mondor.php

Sad Sad wrote:

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Track/2006/09/10/1824812-cp.html

"Constable Pierre Dubois said Mondor was ***not wearing a seatbelt***, and was ejected from the car. She was taken by air ambulance to Ottawa Civic Hospital where she died Saturday evening of massive chest trauma."

Buckle up, folks. Please.

Rest In Peace. What a tragedy.

I had the privilege of meeting Emilie a number of times. Her and my wife were on the Canadian World Cross Country Championship team in Dublin back in 2001, that was the first time I met her. She had a strong personality and was very intense, yet, had a deep compassion for others. I saw her break the Canadian 5000m record...it was a great day for her and a great day for Canadian Athletics. I agree that her best running was still ahead of her. She loved competing and loved running. We are still a bit shocked and wish to extend our condolences to her family and friends.

Mike in Buffalo wrote:http://www.runforhospice.com/media2005mondor.php

"Petite Emilie Mondor, all 5-foot-6, 115 pounds of her, had just run the fastest 5K by a woman in Rochester, and there she was, bounding around the stage handing out flowers and awards like a TV game show hostess."

How often do you ever see race winners do that?

Later in the article it says she waived the elite appearance fee. She just liked to be involved with these events. Cool. Way cool.

What a beautiful human being...I hope my daughter grows up to be as beautiful and life loving and caring and kind as Emilie Mondor.

Are there funeral arrangements? Or can memorial donations be made?