Healthy young Nashville chef, 26, dies while running in marathon - as his devastated girlfriend shares her grief

A young man working as a chef has died while running a marathon in Nashville.

Joey Fecci, 26, was found unresponsive in the Shelby Park portion of the race and emergency responders performed CPR, according to the organizers of the St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series. 

Fecci was then transported to a nearby hospital where he died on Saturday. 

The man's heartbroken family released a statement to the public, calling him a 'bright light of inspiration.'

It read: 'It is with unbearable grief and immense sorrow that we share our dear and beloved Joey transitioned to the other side on Saturday April 27th. 

'He was a bright light of inspiration and positivity to everyone that was blessed to cross paths with him. He was a treasured son, brother, boyfriend, and friend to so many. He leaves behind a broken family that loves him so very much.' 

Joey Fecci (pictured) was a Michelin-level chef in the Nashville area and died tragically on Saturday during a marathon

Fecci (pictured second from the right) alongside chefs in a famous restaurant called Dal Pescatore Santini in northern Italy

Fecci's cause of death isn't yet clear as authorities haven't released any concrete details

The Rock 'n' Roll Running Series also released a statement offering sympathies to the family and friends of Fecci, pledging to give them support through 'this very difficult time.'

The marathon organizers didn't reveal what led up to or caused Fecci's death, but Nashville police said he was nearly four hours into the race when he was found in Shelby Park.

Fecci's girlfriend posted a slideshow of images of him and her together in various settings. 

'Oh Joey. I am so so sorry,' she wrote in the caption of the Instagram post. 'We will never be able to fully understand. I will never fill this void in my soul. You are and were my protector. We understood every piece of each other and loved each other so deeply. I want to hug you again so bad.'

She ended it with: 'Rest in peace my love. The most handsome, the best laugh, the best energy. I love you forever and ever.'

Fecci (pictured) was described as a 'storyteller in the kitchen'

Fecci takes a selfie with his girlfriend, who posted a heartfelt tribute to him on Instagram Monday, two days after his death

Fecci is originally from a town of about 20,000 in Westchester County, New York

Fecci's girlfriend's Instagram post memorializing the young chef

Fecci's immediate family members commented on the girlfriend's post, with one of them telling her 'We love you Olivia forever you will always be a Fecci.'

He worked as a chef at Yolan, an Italian restaurant inside the Joseph Hotel in Nashville, from August 2020 to January 2024. And by all accounts, he was extremely successful while there.

In April 2022, the hotel that houses the Yolan restaurant proudly announced that Fecci had been promoted to Chef de Cuisine.

The announcement said that Fecci began his storied career at restaurants when he was 15 and working as a bus boy at a restaurant in Somers, New York, where he grew up.

One of the chefs working at Yolan at the time who knew Fecci for years effusively praised the young chef's skills.

'Joey is a storyteller in the kitchen. His expertise and creativity are showcased in every dish that seamlessly celebrates both Italy and Tennessee,' Chef Tony Mantuano said in 2022. 'This promotion is a testament to Joey's talent and dedication, and we know he will continue raising the bar to deliver a dining experience that blends exquisite cuisine with extraordinary service and hospitality.'

Fecci has a long CV in the restaurant business as a 26-year-old, having worked in Michelin-star establishments

Fecci's family plans to release a more detailed statement at a later date, which could shed more light on the seemingly healthy young man's death

Fecci met Mantuano while working from 2017 to 2019 at the Michelin-starred Spiaggia, the famed and now-closed Italian restaurant in Chicago where Mantuano was chef for 35 years, according to the 2022 announcement.

Fecci then was reunited with Mantuano after coincidentally jogging by Yolan. Fecci then relocated to Nashville to work alongside Mantuano again.

Fecci said of Mantuano at the time: 'Chef Tony has mentored some of the industry’s finest chefs – Missy Robbins, Joe Flamm, and Sarah Grueneberg, to name a few. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to step into this leadership role while continuing to work and learn alongside him.'

The Fecci family said they'd be releasing a 'more detailed statement' at a later time, perhaps shedding light on how the 26-year-old died, which is unknown as of now.