Gareth Hopkins, 43, and his brother Chris ran the London Marathon for Age UK last weekend, before he suffered a cardiac arrest right before the end of the 26-mile run
A man is fighting for his life in hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest just a mile from the finish line of the London Marathon.
Gareth Hopkins, 43, was running alongside for Age UK, in memory of his grandmother when tragedy struck. The paramedic is currently critically ill at a London hospital and is in intensive care.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help his family. His friend James Pearson writes: “While the future remains uncertain, we continue to stay hopeful and positive. This sudden and devastating event has had a profound impact on Gareth’s wife, Jodie, their young children, his parents, and his brother.
“Gareth has dedicated the past 20 years to serving others as a paramedic with the East of England Ambulance Service. Throughout his career, he has always been committed to helping people in their time of need.
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“Many friends, family, and colleagues have kindly asked how they can support Gareth and his family during this incredibly difficult time. In response, we have set up this page to help ease some of the financial and practical pressures while Gareth receives treatment in London.”
Gareth entered the marathon alongside his brother Chris. The brothers were running in memory of their grandmother Tricia Petts, who died in January 2025 after a six year battle with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Gareth, from Hoddesdon, started running in late August. Before the race, he told the BBC: “I’ve never done any exercise for five years. I don’t go to the gym; I’m not a runner. I watched Chris do it last year… and I thought ‘I can probably do that.'”
He said he was determined to finish the marathon “regardless” after losing a stone in weight and training for the 26-mile event.
In March, Gareth told The Comet: “My career has shown me how much a little support can change a life, and my nan’s journey showed me how much we need to do to fight dementia.”
He added: “This is a massive personal challenge for me. Until recently, I didn’t exercise at all. I started ‘Couch to 5K’ last year and found it incredibly tough. Going from that to 26.2 miles is daunting, but after watching my brother and friends complete the marathon last year, I knew I had to try.”
This year’s London Marathon, which took place in the capital last Sunday, raised at least £87.5million for charity.
More than £22,300 has been donated to the GoFundMe to help Gareth’s family in the wake of the incident.
