'I don't like giving up': London Marathon runner finally gets medal after suffering cardiac arrest one mile from finish line

A London Marathon runner who suffered a cardiac arrest just a mile from the finish line has finally been presented with a medal nearly five months later — and says it was knowing he had “family to live for” that pulled him through the darkest moments of his recovery.

Gareth Hopkins, a 43-year-old paramedic, was just minutes from completing the iconic race in April when tragedy struck. His heart stopped for 16 minutes, and he went on to spend four months in hospital, learning how to walk, talk, eat and drink again while battling infections and kidney failure.

Now, speaking for the first time since leaving hospital, Gareth has revealed how his determination, stubbornness and the thought of getting home to his family helped him through the gruelling months of recovery.

“I always said to them [my family] that I’ll try my hardest to get back where I was,” he told The Standard’s Luke Reevey.

“I think because I’m a stubborn and determined person, I was like ‘I just need to get better’, so anything they tell me to do, I’ll do.”

Gareth added: “I am so determined and stubborn. All those things got me through this.

“It got me in this, but it also got me out, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.”

Gareth in hospital with his son

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There was an emotional send-off when Gareth was discharged from Northwick Park Hospital’s rehabilitation unit earlier this month.

Staff lined the corridors to applaud and cheer as he walked out, ready to continue the final stretch of his rehabilitation journey at home.

But, they had one more surprise up their sleeves. In a beautiful gesture, staff presented Gareth with a London Marathon medal of his own, gifted by an unknown donor.

The surprise brought a huge smile to his face, making it a fitting moment for a runner who had come so close to the finish line before his race took an unimaginable turn.

The father-of-four, who had raised just over £13,000 for Age UK in memory of his grandmother, was just one mile from the finish line when when tragedy struck on April 26.

At Mile 16, Gareth texted his wife, Jodie, a 38-year-old nurse practitioner, to tell her his calves felt as though they were going to explode, but he carried on, admitting to The Standard “I don’t like giving up.”

By Mile 25, however, Gareth called Jodie to tell her he could not continue. She reminded him that he had just one mile left to go and to walk if he needed to, but the tone of his voice immediately made her realise something was wrong.

The call then suddenly dropped, Jodie said, and she heard a commotion in the background.

Jodie tracked Gareth’s location to the end and went into a nearby medical tent, where she asked whether her husband had been brought in.

After giving paramedics his race number, Jodie was told that Gareth was in cardiac arrest.

Gareth Hopkins, 43, with his wife Jodie and family in London after his cardiac arrest

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She recalled how police sat her down on the pavement as the seriousness of what was happening began to sink in.

“Everything was a bit of a blur,” she said.

Gareth was then blue-lighted to St Thomas’ Hospital, where he spent around four weeks in intensive care.

Doctors were concerned about Gareth’s neurological condition when he failed to wake, fearing he might be in a vegetative state, but thankfully, after 28 days, he began to show signs of waking.

He eventually moved to Northwick Park’s rehabilitation unit, where he learned how to walk, talk, eat and drink again.

Runners taking part in the London Marathon

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Jodie described Gareth’s recovery as a “rollercoaster”, with infections and other complications along the way.

Gareth has received support from a range of medical professionals, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and more.

Jodie said she never lost hope and described the recovery as “1,000 little victories”.

Under London Marathon rules, Gareth was not eligible for an official medal because he did not complete the race. But thanks to the kindness of someone who donated their own medal, he finally got one to call his own.

The family, from Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire, are now trying to find their “new normal”.

Gareth and his family

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Gareth has hope for the future, as he can look after his children and potentially return to work, albeit in a different capacity.

He is also determined to finish the marathon, completing the final mile on November 1 to bring his journey full circle and honour all those who cared for him, donated to his GoFundMe page, and his grandmother, whom he was initially running the race in memory of.

“I have to do it for my nan, for AgeUK, for everyone who donated, And like I said, I don’t like starting things and not finishing. It’ll be a full circle,” Gareth said.

He added: “Jodie has been my rock through it all by my side everyday, and never stopped believing in me, I could not have done it without her.”

When asked what the final mile would mean to Gareth, Jodie said: “I think it just recognises the journey that Gareth’s been on, the strength that he has and the courage, determination - and to complete it - something that has obviously changed our lives forever.”

“I know Gareth he doesn’t give up and he would always want to complete something he started. I’m super proud and super grateful that he can finish the last mile because at one point, well quite a few times, I never thought he would be able to do that because of how uncertain things were.”

The couple thanked the amazing staff at St John’s Ambulance, St Thomas’ Hospital and Northwick Park Hospital for the care Gareth received.

A Gofundme page has been set up to aid Gareth’s recovery - click the link to help support him and his family.