A heartbreaking loss for the family of a man who died while running in Jasper National Park is also weighing heavily on the Jasper runner who was by his side when he passed.

On June 16, 46-year-old ultra runner Steve Sadownik, of Fort St. John, B.C., died of a heart attack while running approximately 20 kilometres east of Jasper. Sadownik, a widower, had two adult children who are now bereaved of their father.

Ultra-runner Steve Sadownik passed away while running Jasper’s Overlander Trail June 16, 2018 // Facebook

On the day of his passing, Sadownik was running Jasper’s Overlander Trail. One of his running partners for the day was Jasper’s Jean-Yves Doucet.

Doucet had met Sadownik at the Blackfoot Ultra trail race east of Edmonton in May. Doucet, who had taken first place in the event in 2016, was impressed to learn that Sadownik beat his time this year by 10 minutes.

“He was really strong,” Doucet said.

He was also kind. When Sadownik ran up behind Doucet at kilometre 30 of that same race, the veteran athlete struck up a conversation. The ultra community being fairly small, the two men recognized each other’s names. They ran together for half an hour, Doucet said, before Sadownik increased his pace and ran ahead. But before he did, the two had made a plan to meet in Jasper sometime soon.

“I said ‘if you come I’d be happy to show you some trails,’” Doucet recalled.

That opportunity happened less than a month later. Sadownik called Doucet to let him know he was staying at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. Sadownik wondered if Doucet would be up for showing he and a friend that trail run. Doucet said he’d love to and decided to introduce Sadownik and his friend to a local classic.

“I knew his reputation, he wanted to do a big run,” Doucet said.

Doucet chose the Overlander Trail. The plan was to park at 6th Bridge, run to Morro Peak, go up and back down Morro, run back along the Overlander then finish with Old Man Mountain (Roche Bonhomme). Doucet knew the 50 kilometre outing would be an adventure, but was confident the group could push through. On Saturday morning, Doucet picked up the two runners in his car and the group got to know each other better.

“They were both super nice, we were all laughing and making jokes,” Doucet said.

The energy was jovial when the men began their run. Sadownik had done the Overlander years ago, but had never been up Morro Peak. The day had started out rainy but as they arrived at Morro it started to clear. Spirits were high.

“They really liked it,” Doucet said. “They were taking pictures at the top.”

As they descended Morro Peak and returned to the Overlander Trail, everyone was still in good shape. Sadownik exclaimed as much. Doucet remembers vividly Sadownik jogging along and expressing his pleasure with the day.

“I remember him saying ‘Hey boys, I don’t know about you but I’ feeling great right now!’” Doucet said.

Twenty minutes later, the trio passed two female mountain bikers, going in the same direction. Doucet recalls Sadownik offering them a friendly greeting.

“We said hi, and Steve made them laugh,” Doucet said. “We were still feeling good.”

The group ran without talking for a short time, after which Doucet heard his friend speak up again. But this time it wasn’t the kind of affable chatter Doucet had become accustomed to from Sadownik. When Sadownik spoke up this time from the back of the pack, he did so much more softly.

“We heard him say ‘boys,’” Doucet said. “His voice was very calm.”

When Doucet looked over his shoulder, he saw Sadownik fall. Doucet’s first thought was that Sadownik fainted.

“If you’re an ultra runner, you see that sometimes,” he said.

Running back to assist Sadownik, Doucet saw his friend was struggling to breathe. His breathing was laboured and heavy. Right away he and Sadownik’s friend called 9-1-1.

“I was thinking he’s just passed out from the heat,” Doucet said.

But Doucet also knew Sadownik was the type of experienced athlete to stay on top of his blood sugar and hydration. Meanwhile, 9-1-1 dispatchers were guiding the men through emergency first aid.

“They instructed us to roll him on his back and start CPR,” Doucet said.

As they attended to Sadownik, the women they had passed shortly before came upon the scene. When they saw Sadownik on the ground, the women explained that they had their first aid certification. Between Doucet, Sadownik’s friend and the two mountain bikers, the group took turns performing CPR. Sadownik, however, showed no signs of recovery.

Meanwhile, more trail users arrived. Doucet estimated that by the end of the ordeal, up to 15 people came through, each of them trying to help. One of them was a doctor. By now it had been approximately an hour since they called for help. Doucet called 9-1-1 back and asked whether or not a helicopter was on the way. Dispatchers said it would arrive shortly.

Finally, after approximately two hours, emergency officials landed a helicopter. Two paramedics arrived on bikes.

“It was the longest two hours of my life,” Doucet said.

Jasper’s Overlander Trail runs east of town approximately 20 kms

Doucet and Sadownik’s friend were in shock. They were airlifted off the trail and dropped off at Doucet’s car. The pair went to Doucet’s home, not knowing what to do or if RCMP had notified Sadownik’s girlfriend, who would have been waiting at her hotel room.

Eventually, they received word that Sadownik’s girlfriend was getting assistance from the Jasper Victims Services Unit. Doucet offered his condolences to the grieving woman, something he said he felt he had to do.

“I felt that this was the only thing I could do for Steve,” Doucet said.

Since then, Doucet has had time to reflect. He said he is still surprised at how everything took place.

“All the places I go where I could break my leg or fall off a cliff, I never thought this would be something that could happen,” he said.

He’s also reflected on his friendship with Sadownik, as short-lived as it was.

“He was such an amazing runner. He was super cool, super down to earth. I didn’t know him much but it sounded like everybody who knew him, loved him.”

Doucet has been trying to process his feelings about the incident. He’s talked extensively to Victims Services, a group of volunteers for whom he has newfound respect and admiration. And he is back on the trails. Trail running, he says, is one of the only things that’s made sense for him in the weeks since the accident.

“What I saw was scary, I don’t want it to happen to me, but I don’t want to stop running.”

Bob Covey // thejasperlocal@gmail.com