Scott Ewing, a 64-year-old known to many as the "face of running in the Poconos," has been identified as the man who died after being found unconscious in a Pocono Township gym pool Wednesday morning.

Scott Ewing, a 64-year-old known to many as the "face of running in the Poconos," has been identified as the man who died after being found unconscious in a Pocono Township gym pool Wednesday morning.



The cause of his death is pending tissue studies, and the manner of death is pending, according to Monroe County Coroner Bob Allen.



Ewing checked in for his workout at Elevations Health Club in Scotrun at about 9:30 a.m. and was found unconscious about an hour later by another patron.



Ewing was born in Illinois but has lived in Monroe County for more than 30 years, according to his obituary. He was a Roadway manager until retiring in 2004, and drove a bus for the Pocono Mountain School District in the years since.



Longtime friend Rod Hasker said Wednesday that Ewing has been training for a triathlon.



"He's just an extremely fine man," Hasker said. "I don't know anybody that doesn't love him dearly in our community."



Hasker said Ewing, who was married and lived in the Scotrun area, was heavily involved in volunteering, with a passion for rescuing greyhounds retired from racing and donating his time at the YMCA.



Ewing founded Pocono Greyhound Adoption and fostered 130 dogs, his obituary said.



Hasker called him the "face of running" for his commitment. Ewing came to nearly every area race, even if he was not running, either to encourage runners or time it at no charge.



Ewing was also involved in the Run for the Red marathon Sunday. Run for the Red posted a message on Facebook, saying Ewing set up and manned the halfway point of the course, and extending condolences to his family and friends. Comments on the post described Ewing's enthusiasm in cheering on runners.



"He is going to leave a tremendous hole in our running community," Hasker said.



Hasker said Ewing retired "so he could keep up with his hobbies."



"He always was one of those people you wanted to be around, because there just was nothing negative about him," he said. "Everything was fun. Everything was positive."



Ed Krawitz, a longtime friend involved with Ewing in the Law Day race, said he had a great sense of humor and was a "very affable, very warm, outgoing individual."



"He was a very, very service-minded community leader who gave of himself in many avenues," he said.



Linda Yeager, on the board with the Pocono Area Running Club, said Ewing introduced her and her husband to the running community here.



Yeager said Ewing recently sent her his summer schedule, with every weekend tied up with races except one for vacation.



"Scott was just one of those people that, he never left you," she said. "If you really wanted to run, he was there to encourage you."



Yeager said it was "shocking, nauseating" to hear the news Wednesday.



"He'll be missed more than he'll ever know," she said. "Not a weekend or a run will go by where we won't all think about him."