The family of a guy who suffered a heart attack while running a half marathon has expressed gratitude to those who saved his life.
On October 23, John Thurkettle, 60, passed out while running the Ipswich Half Marathon.
Until emergency services arrived, runners Kevin Ward, Ben Solway, and David Smith assisted the victim and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
James Thurkettle, the son of Mr. Thurkettle, stated, “I have no doubt that they kept dad alive.”
The 29-year-old claimed that for his builder father, who had completed numerous half marathons over the years, taking on the 13.1-mile (21km) journey was “nothing out of the norm.”
James, his mother Denise, and one of John’s sisters were waiting for him to cross the finish line at the Portman Road stadium of Ipswich Town, but they had no idea he had passed out at mile 11 until they got a call.
It was heartbreaking for us, James remarked. “We expected him to come around the corner at any time; it really threw us off guard, and we went into panic mode. According to James, the incident demonstrated how “essential” it was for everyone to receive CPR training.
Mr. Ward, a resident of Kesgrave, declared that he was “desperately keen” to get the instruction in front of as many people as possible. And to emphasise the idea that genuinely trying is always preferable to doing nothing, since death is probably the only conclusion for someone who refuses help, he continued. Mr. Ward is planning CPR instruction for his running group, Kesgrave Kruisers, along with fellow club members.