Runner finished a marathon and rushed to perform CPR on a participant less than a mile away — his first words after waking shocked paramedics
Running a marathon is a challenge for anyone, but for Joshua Breene, it carried an even deeper meaning this time. The 23-year-old, a Master’s student at the University of Bath, recently completed his first half-marathon since a life-threatening incident during the Birmingham Half Marathon in May 2025. On that day, fellow runner Lloyd Heckler rushed less than a mile back onto the course to perform CPR on Breene after he collapsed. When he regained consciousness, he spoke words that left the paramedics stunned, as reported by Birmingham Live.
Breene was a kilometer away from finishing his run when he felt lightheaded, and the next thing he knew, he blacked out. He had no warning signs of heart trouble before collapsing, and he remained unconscious for about five minutes, suffering injuries, including smashed front teeth. Heckler, a 31-year-old physiotherapist, had already completed his race and was headed to his girlfriend when he learned someone was down. He rushed back to the scene and began CPR before paramedics arrived. When he regained consciousness, his first words left the paramedics stunned. “Have I finished the race?” he asked, completely unaware of his situation.
The man was later taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. There, tests revealed he had an atrial flutter, an irregular heart rhythm that made the upper chambers of his heart beat much faster than normal, requiring surgery to correct. Nearly a year later, he was determined to come back stronger and finish the race. Reflecting on his recovery, Breene described how careful preparation and gradual training helped him regain confidence.
"The first 12.42 miles all went really well,” he said, adding that he had done multiple practice runs with friends and family. He recalled how supportive Heckler had been after the incident, messaging him on Strava, a running application, and visiting him in the hospital the next day. Returning to running after such a serious event required not just physical recovery, but rebuilding trust in his own body and abilities. The runner explained that after his surgery and hospital stay, he followed medical advice carefully.
He completed several fitness tests, heart scans, and MRI checks to confirm his heart was fully healed. The 23-year-old said he felt nervous but excited about the Bath Half Marathon in March 2026, using it as a chance to challenge himself while raising funds for the British Heart Foundation. By the finish line, Breene felt immense relief and gratitude toward those who helped him survive. “It was a much nicer run than how it ended last time,” he added.
Marathons can sometimes take a dangerous turn, as shown in another similar incident. During the 2023 Long Beach Half Marathon, runner Tuan Pham collapsed just a mile or two from the finish line while his son Josh waited. Fortunately, passerby Ryan Chiu, a cardiothoracic surgeon, saw him fall and quickly started CPR. “I was just walking out when the marathon was being run, and I saw one of the runners stumble in front of me,” Chiu recalled. Tuan later said, “There was some divine intervention. I mean, somebody put us there together.”
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