` ` This is the day she wanted to die , '' said the daughter of year - old Joy Johnson . Sunday was her 25th appearance in the 26-mile New York Marathon . The following morning she ventured to NBC 's `` Today Show '' with her sister , Faith Anderson , to talk to Al Roker , whom she called `` her buddy '' after more than a decade of yearly appearances on the show . She was about six miles from the end race , but she kept going to finish . She appeared Monday on the ` ` Today '' show and was resting in her hotel when she died .
` ` This is the day she wanted to die , '' said the daughter of year - old Joy Johnson . Sunday was her 25th appearance in the 26-mile New York Marathon . She was about six miles from the end race , but she kept going to finish . She appeared Monday on the ` ` Today '' show and was resting in her hotel when she died .