Kenyan Marko Cheseto, an All-American runner for the University of Alaska-Anchorage, had both of his feet amputated due to severe frostbite, after he disappeared for over 48 hours in Anchorage. Both feet were amputated above the ankle.
Cheseto disappeared on Sunday evening, Nov. 6, wearing jeans, running shoes and a light jacket — no gloves, no hat, no boots, no cellphone. It snowed more than a foot while he was missing and temperatures dropped into single digits.
Then, at about 3 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 9, he was found wandering outside a hotel near the university. The night manager at the SpringHill Suites said paramedics who responded to the hotel’s 911 call were unable to remove Cheseto’s shoes because they were frozen to his feet.
Cheseto was hospitalized with hypothermia and severe frostbite at Providence Alaska Medical Center, where he remains, the university said.
Marko seemed apologetic for his disappearance and vowed to help pay back the Anchorage community for it’s support of him.
“As some may know, I’ve been going through a lot of personal issues,” Cheseto said. “While I am still recovering — both physically and emotionally — I will do my very best to give back to the community that has helped me so much and to my home country, Kenya.
Cheseto recently had to deal with the suicide death of fellow countryman and teammate, William Ritekwiang, who killed himself back in the Spring.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Marko. Hopefully, he can recover and finish his education at UAA where he has been excelling in the classroom.
