Olympian Kelly Catlin Dead at 23

Olympic cyclist Kelly Catlin has passed away at the age of 23.

In a letter posted on VeloNews, Catlin's father Mark broke the sad news that she died of an apparent suicide. “There isn't a minute that goes by that we don't think of her and think of the wonderful life she could have lived. There isn't a second in which we wouldn't freely give our lives in exchange for hers. The hurt is unbelievable.”

Catlin was found dead in her on-campus housing at Stanford University. The school released a statement, saying, “Stanford is deeply saddened to confirm the death of Kelly Catlin. A first-year master's student in computational and mathematical engineering. The university has been in touch with Kelly's family to extend our heartfelt condolences. Stanford mourns Kelly's loss, and our deepest sympathies are with her family, friends and loved ones.”

USA Cycling president and CEO Rob DeMartini released his own statement, saying, “The U.S. cycling community suffered a devastating loss with the passing of Kelly Catlin, USA Cycling National Team member. Kelly was more than an athlete to us, and she will always be part of the USA Cycling family. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Catlin family. This is an incredibly difficult time and we want to respect their privacy. The entire cycling community is mourning this immense loss. We are offering continuous support to Kelly's teammates, coaches and staff. We also encourage all those who knew Kelly to support each other through the grieving. We are deeply saddened by Kelly's passing, and we will all miss her dearly. We hope everyone seeks the support they need through the hard days ahead, and please keep the Catlin family in your thoughts.”

Catlin took home the silver medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.