Former and current Nike employees are taking to LinkedIn to mourn the loss of Christian and Michelle Deaton, a married couple, both of whom worked at Nike Inc. and tragically died last week after a cycling accident in Napa, Calif.
According to a report in the Oregonian, the couple was biking along a trail on Tuesday morning when lumber from a nearby truck fell loose from the vehicle and struck the couple. Christian, 52, died immediately and Michelle, 42, later succumbed to injuries in the hospital, the New York Post reported.
Both Christian and Michelle Deaton were employees of Nike, according to their LinkedIn pages. Christian worked for Nike for 10 years until 2018, culminating in his role as senior director, North America lifestyle energy team. And since 2021, he had worked at the VP of product and merchandising at Perry Ellis International for Nike Swim. Michelle was a 23-year Nike veteran who was currently serving in the role of EQ Design Studio Director.
The pair, who loved to travel and both worked in Oregon, had been married for 21 years, the Oregonian reported.
FN reached out to Nike for comment.
In the wake of the tragic deaths, some current and former Nike employees took to LinkedIn to express their sadness and share their memories of the couple.
“You showed me what authenticity really looks like at a place like Nike,” wrote former Nike merchandising director Chad Tompkins in a post in LinkedIn about Christian. “You showed me the strength it takes to live your values in a professional setting, and you showed me why you don’t give up on people and how an offer to help can change a persons life.”
In the comments on Tompkins’ post, several current Nike employees expressed their shock and sorrow at the loss. “Gone way too soon. He lived life to the fullest,” wrote one. “Heartbroken,” wrote another.
A former Nike Sales director wrote in a LinkedIn post, “A piece of me has been cut out and that deep wound will scar me forever. With you and Michelle passing, the world has lost two incredibly kind, loving and passionate people, who loved life and squeezed every second out of every day. The only consolation that I find in all of this, is knowing that the two of you departed together to be with each other for eternity.”
“He was a really good person,” read a comment from a former Nike employee on this post. “One of the people that positively impacted me at my time at Nike. I’m sure he had that effect on everyone. Really sad news!”
