A young man rollerblading across America lost his life after reportedly being struck by a woman driving an SUV.
Videos by Wide Open Country
24-year-old Joachim Lanham of Norway set out in New York to journey across the United States on rollerblades, with his final stop being Los Angeles. However, his adventure was brutally cut short on day 22 of his trek. According to 5, the Wichita Eagle Lanham was found mortally injured in a ditch near a road in Salina, Kansas.
He was transported to Salina Regional Health Center before being transferred to the intensive care unit at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. Lanham was placed in a medically induced coma before passing away six days later on Sept. 11.
"His brother Michael was with him, holding his hand throughout the week and at the very end," his family later wrote on Instagram.
Meanwhile, while police were at the scene of the deadly incident, the driver turned themselves in.
"An 82-year-old female said she had been driving a 2013 Ford Edge SUV going west on Country Club Road," police told local outlet KSAL. "She stated that she thought she hit something, turned around to check the area, but didn't see anything, so she continued her journey home."
Lt. Scott Trembley, of the Saline County Sheriff's Office, later added that the woman noticed the damage to her SUV when she got home. "She knew she struck something. She just wasn't sure what," Trembley explained to the Wichita Eagle.
Joachim Lanham's Final Poignant Social Media Post While Rollerblading Across America: 'I'm on a Mission'
The rollerblader's final personal update on Instagram on Sept. 4 detailed his final moments.
"I'm in Kansas, baby. The heatwave has been kicking my ass. I thought I knew what hot, but nothing like this," Lanham wrote alongside footage of him rollerblading down empty streets. "My weather forecast app keeps telling me to check up on my loved ones and to seek refuge, but I'm on a mission. Mother Nature will definitely slow me down, but I will succeed."
Of course, the comments section to the in retrospect farewell post is filled with mourning followers.
"For one of the last videos that a man posted for passing away, it's truly beautiful. The world is beautiful and life is precious. God bless you," one top comment read. "Rip to this legend??," another onlooker wrote. "Skate across the skies," a third person chimed in.
Meanwhile, it's unclear if the 82-year-old woman will face any charges after allegedly striking Lanham. The Saline County Attorney's Office is reportedly looking into the incident.
