New Jersey police officer, father-to-be dies of sudden cardiac arrest while exercising

COLUMBUS, N.J. - A New Jersey family and police department are mourning the sudden and tragic loss of a young officer who died of cardiac arrest while exercising. 

Sam Irvin, 23, collapsed while running sprints at his fiancé's family's farm in Columbus, New Jersey. An autopsy showed Sam had an enlarged heart, and his sudden death was unpreventable.

"His heart just stopped, and they said it happened within seconds, so he didn't feel pain," Sam's fiancé Mackenzie Santucci said. "Probably the most traumatic day of my life."

Family members say Sam was in great shape and never had any health problems. He graduated police academy and was an officer with the Mansfield Police Department. 

"It was really unexpected," Sam's mother Deb said. "He just went through the police academy, and he ran 300 miles in those 20 weeks at the academy." 

Sam and Mackenzie were high school sweethearts, dated though college, and recently became engaged at the end of May. The couple recently found out they were expecting their first child.

"I'm 11 weeks pregnant, so I get to carry a little piece of him my whole life," Mackenzie said. "I think that has helped me get through everything."

Deb called her son "a joy" and his father remembered Sam's kindheartedness. 

Mackenzie's sister set up a GoFundMe page to help with expenses for the baby that's due next February. The family has been overwhelmed by the generosity of friends and complete strangers.

"I couldn't say thank you enough," Mackenzie said. "Sam was literally perfect, if you could think of a perfect human, it was him."