Chef Joey Fecci Dead At 26 After Collapsing During Marathon: 'Unbearable Grief And Immense Sorrow'
Joey Fecci, a Nashville chef, has died on April 27th while participating in the St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series marathon.
He was 26.
Event organizers on social media confirmed his death.
During the St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series, Fecci was discovered unresponsive, according to event organizers. Despite receiving immediate medical attention on-site, he was later transported to a nearby hospital, where he ultimately succumbed after the marathon, according to the event's Facebook page.
Nick Fecci, Joey's older brother, recounted their last encounter with him at mile 18 of the race, where they captured a heartwarming video of him beaming and exchanging high-fives.
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"We were waiting for him to come around the final stretch when we got the phone call that would destroy our lives forever," Nick said via a statement to Nashville's WSMV. "We will never comprehend how something like this could happen. We will never understand why the brightest light in all of our lives was taken from us so horrifically and inexplicably."
Fecci's family described him as "a treasured son, brother, boyfriend, and friend to so many."
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Fecci served as the chef de cuisine at Yolan, a restaurant in Nashville, for three and a half years.
His culinary journey began at the age of 15 at an Italian restaurant in Somers, New York, as reported by FSR Magazine. Subsequently, he pursued formal culinary education at The Culinary Institute of America, followed by notable stints at two Michelin-starred establishments in New York City and in Chicago.