Man who died on Mt. Wilson identified as film and TV composer Mark Smythe, 53

"Smythe died Saturday at 53 after suffering a cardiac emergency on a hiking trail, according to the coroner's online database. His cause of death was atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, in which plaque builds up in arterial walls and can lead to a heart attack. The Sierra Madre Police Department said Saturday that a man - at that point unidentified - died after having a medical emergency on the trail and that no foul play was suspected."

"First responders arrived at the site around 10 a.m. and administered aid but were unable to save his life. Smythe had been head of the department of Composing for Visual Media at Los Angeles Music College since last summer, according to his website. Among other honors, he was nominated for a 2023 Society of Composers and Lyricists Award for his work scoring the movie " The Reef: Stalked.""

""It is a comfort to know that he was doing one of the things he loved, hiking in the hills, and we are grateful to his wonderful friends (and emergency service responders) who tried so hard to resuscitate him," she wrote. "Mark was a strong larger than life connector in LA, as a professor, composer, musician, and loyal friend. He was also fiercely talented, and an absolute cheerleader for music performance and recording across multiple genres.. he was only just getting started and had so much more to give .. We are heartbroken and trying to process this tragedy, as are all Mark's friends and family.""

Mark Smythe, a New Zealand-born composer based in Los Angeles, died at age 53 after a cardiac emergency on a hiking trail on Mt. Wilson. The coroner listed atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease as the cause, describing plaque buildup in arterial walls that can lead to a heart attack. Sierra Madre Police reported that first responders arrived around 10 a.m., administered aid, and were unable to save him, with no foul play suspected. Smythe served as head of the department of Composing for Visual Media at Los Angeles Music College. He was nominated for a 2023 Society of Composers and Lyricists Award for scoring “The Reef: Stalked.” His sister and colleagues praised his humor, intelligence, and strong support for peers.

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