Cambodian authorities discovered the lifeless body of a 23-year-old French woman.
In a heartbreaking turn of events, Lisa Girard, a 23-year-old French woman, passed away during her solo run near Angkor Wat in Cambodia on August 4, 2025.
Lisa was last seen around 7:50 AM on Saturday, August 2, near the Ta Som Buddhist temple at Angkor, where she was preparing for a half-marathon she was scheduled to run the next day. Her body was discovered two days later in a rural area outside Siem Reap city.
Reports suggest that Lisa had been hitchhiking for over four months from Paris to Phnom Penh, passing through 15 countries, and raising funds for a Cambodian NGO along the way. Her travel project was close to her heart, having visited Cambodia in 2023.
Eyewitness reports indicate that Lisa was running near Srah Srang lake and the ticket booth on old Route 60 on the morning of her disappearance. Her friends actively searched for her and sought help, including asking drone operators to assist in locating her.
Touch Sokun, the deputy chief of the Siem Reap provincial police, confirmed that Lisa's death was not linked to any crime or murder. The official cause of her death was later confirmed to be a heart attack, as revealed by the autopsy. No injuries or signs of violence were found on Lisa's body.
Lisa's personal belongings, including her phone, were found at the scene of her death. Lisa had announced her plans to donate the race proceeds on LinkedIn, with France 3 sharing her post about the donation. The proceeds were intended for the educational NGO "Pour un Sourire d'Enfant".
Lisa had been working as a development assistant for seven months at the NGO as part of her internship at Science Po Bordeaux. Her passing has left a deep impact on her friends, colleagues, and the Cambodian community.
Our thoughts are with Lisa's family and friends during this difficult time.
[1] [Link to Source 1] [2] [Link to Source 2] [3] [Link to Source 3]
- The tragic death of Lisa Girard, a dedicated advocate for health-and-wellness and education in Cambodia, prompted many in the science community to express their condolences, as she was a development assistant at Science Po Bordeaux.
- Despite her unexpected passing due to a heart attack, Lisa's impact on health-and-wellness, general news, and crime-and-justice was significant, as she raised funds for a Cambodian NGO during her solo run, and her plans to donate race proceeds were announced on LinkedIn.
