Inaugural Dave’s Dewey Dash 5K walk/run set for Oct. 2

Dewey Beach resident Dave Ashby was only 28 years old when he died peacefully in his sleep of an undiagnosed cardiac arrhythmia in October 2019.

Laura Ashby describes her son as a “big, strong kid” who was out the door every morning at 6 a.m., ready for work as a construction manager. He loved living in Dewey and spent many hours proudly renovating his Bellevue Street home.

The night Dave died, Laura said, he came home after work, showered and lay down on the couch to text friends. The next morning, his nephew Snapchatted him, but got no response. His brother Mike found him the next day.

Dave was a star football player at Newark High, where he graduated in 2009. He earned a degree in business operations management at the University of Delaware in 2014. He was also a talented artist, Laura said, who could paint, draw and sculpt.

He had varied interests, Laura said, and hoped to build his own home and teach sociology one day. A family-oriented young man, he once told Laura she was his soulmate.

“He was hilarious, with a great sense of humor, a good listener and friend,” Laura said. “When you met him, you remembered him because of the way he made you feel. He made you feel important.”

Halloween was his birthday, Laura said, and from age 16 on, every Halloween he would dress as a different Will Ferrell movie character. Friends often called him “the mayor” because he never met someone who didn't become his friend.

Dave’s brother Mike inherited Dave’s Dewey home, and he also works in construction. Laura said Mike feels like Dave created the path for him in life – he helped get Mike into a college fraternity even though he wasn’t in one himself and got Mike his first job in construction purchasing.

“He never expected to lose his brother,” Laura said. “He thought he would have him for life.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, about 300,000 people die each year from sudden cardiac death, which is responsible for half of all heart disease deaths. Heart rhythm disorders can be diagnosed through screenings and treated through preventive measures and a variety of individualized methods.

To honor Dave and help save lives through awareness of sudden cardiac death, Laura has organized the inaugural Dave’s Dewey Dash, set for 9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 2. The 5K walk/run starts and ends at the Rusty Rudder, which will also host the after party and award presentations. 

The Rusty Rudder is donating food and NKS Distributors is donating beer and seltzer; the American Heart Association will provide heart health information and Beebe Healthcare will provide free blood pressure screenings at the event, Laura said. 

Plans for a Dewey Beach bar/restaurant crawl after the 5K are also in the works, Laura said.

This year’s proceeds go toward the Dewey Beach Beautification Project, a fundraiser launched in April with the goal of keeping the town colorful with planted flowers, holiday decorations and other improvements.

The event is open to walkers, runners, virtual participants, donors and sponsors. To learn more, go to raceroster.com.