Olympic Runner Whose Grandfather is on 'Last Breaths' From COVID Calls Trump's Remarks 'Tone Deaf'

A distance runner who has twice represented the United States at the Summer Olympics, and many more times on the international stage, said Monday that her grandfather is "struggling to take his last breaths" from COVID-19. Then she bashed President Donald Trump's statement that the virus shouldn't be feared while he, himself, left a hospital for treatment of the same diagnosis.

Kara Goucher is a distance runner who competed for Team USA at both the 2008 Beijing Summer Games and then again at the 2012 London Games—in different events. In Beijing, she ran the 5,000- and 10,000-meter races, finishing ninth and 10th overall, respectively. In 2012, she competed in the marathon, finishing 11th overall.

In other words, she knows the importance of endurance and breathing.

Just more than a week ago, Goucher tweeted that the grandfather that raised her after her father died had been tested positive for the coronavirus.

"Today my 95 (96 next week) year old grandpa was diagnosed with Covid. We have not been able to see or touch him for 7 months. He is a father to me, helping raise me and my sisters after our dad died and introduced me to running. His life is worthy. Please, please wear a mask," she wrote on Sept. 24.

Then on Sunday (Oct. 4), just one day after she had written her grandfather was taking the lead lap against the coronavirus, she said COVID regained the lead.

"And just like that, the virus takes the lead. He is struggling today, in pain. Our hopes and hearts are shattered. Prayers welcome."

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump had been hospitalized at Walter Reed Military Medical Center over the weekend with his diagnosis of a positive COVID test. On Monday afternoon, he was released. The president wrote this on Twitter:

"I will be leaving the great Walter Reed Medical Center today at 6:30 P.M. Feeling really good! Don't be afraid of Covid. Don't let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!"

Goucher took exception to those words, saying her grandfather had little left in his tank to outpace COVID.

"As my grandfather lies in a bed struggling to take his last breaths due to Covid, I'm not sure I've ever read anything more offensive or tone deaf in my life," Goucher wrote.

Goucher returned to running in 2011 after giving birth so she could run the Boston Marathon, where she ran a personal best, according to her biography on TeamUSA.org.