Paul Rouse

On 10 August 2024, 46-year-old Paul Rouse from Lowestoft took part in his local Parkrun with friends. It was an activity he enjoyed regularly, and he would often cover around 70-80km a week after taking up running two years previously. He took the Parkrun nice and steady, as he was planning a longer run the following day, completing the course, which finished at the town’s Claremont Pier, in 24 minutes.“I had no pains or signs that morning that anything was wrong,” Paul explains. “But at the Parkrun finish, my friends said my face just drained, I went pale and collapsed.”

Parkrun volunteers were standing just behind Paul when he collapsed. They recognised that that he was in cardiac arrest and immediately commenced CPR. These fast actions in starting Paul’s chain of survival were key to helping to save his life. Paul was given one shock from a defibrillator, which was located just a few metres away at the pier.

“I came round and vaguely remember somebody saying, ‘Can you hear me?’ Then my wife, Becky, was there. I was talking to her but not making any sense. East Anglian Air Ambulance was called, and I was taken to the back of a road ambulance.”

EAAA were tasked at 9:34am, arriving by helicopter at the scene just 16 minutes after lifting. The Anglia One (Norwich) crew, Dr Liam and Critical Care Paramedic Page, gave Paul a full assessment at the scene and administered advanced medication, which is over and above that carried by ambulance service.

Paul was airlifted to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital for further treatment. He has worked offshore for 27 years and frequently travels to and from rigs by helicopter. He recognised the distinctive sound of helicopter doors closing.

“Dr Liam and Critical Care Paramedic Page talked to me all the way through the flight to hospital.”

At hospital, Paul had a stent fitted to correct an artery defect which had contributed to his cardiac arrest. He spent three days in hospital and then several weeks recovering before starting his cardio rehabilitation. At his first appointment he was asked what his aspirations were, and he advised the team that he wanted to complete the Manchester Marathon in April 2025 – an event which was taking place in just eight months’ time.

“Rather than telling me no, they tailored my rehab to suit,” Paul explains. “I went from walking, to jogging to running. It took me a little bit of time to get back out onto the road as I was worried that I’d have another cardiac arrest, but with the support of my wife and friends I got back out there doing more and more. I’m a Mental Health First Aider at work, and I understand how this can affect people – so I pushed myself.”

As part of Paul’s preparation for the Manchester Marathon in April, he took part in the Great Yarmouth Half Marathon at the beginning of March.

“I completed it in just three minutes off my personal best time,” Paul says. “I had one month to make sure I was 100% ready, but it gave me so much confidence.”

Until that point, the furthest distance Paul had run solo since his cardiac arrest was 20 miles, so completing the marathon – in under his four-hour target – would be a big accomplishment for him.

“The worrying thoughts started to return just beforehand, but then I told myself that I had already done all the hard work and prep; this was just the final lap, so let’s just do it – although it’d be a lie to say that I wasn’t a little bit nervous.”

As Paul made his way to the start line near the famous Old Trafford stadium he says there was a real buzz of excitement as 38,000 people readied themselves to start the race.

“The countdown to the start was exhilarating; I felt the hairs on the back of my neck and any anxious thoughts I had disappeared.”

Paul was running on pace and felt great until the temperature increased. When it reached 25 degrees with little breeze, his friend Chris who was running a little further ahead, called him to advise him to slow down.

“I backed right off and took my time, but when I got to one kilometre from the finish, I gave it everything! Everyone was calling my name, and it gave me such a lift as I approached the finish line.”

Paul adds, “I completed the course in 4 hours 48 minutes – but it wasn’t about the time; it was about proving what was possible and how I could recover. When the medal was placed around my neck, it felt like a weight had been lifted; all the negative thoughts I may have had disappeared, and I felt elated.”

Paul ran the Manchester Marathon to raise money for EAAA, the charity that helped him on the day of his cardiac arrest. While running the race, another participant asked him why he was running for his local air ambulance.

“I replied, ‘because they helped me when I was dead for two minutes and 47 seconds.’ He couldn’t believe it. I had t-shirt from EAAA to wear on the race; it ended up being too hot to wear it while I was running, but I ended up wearing it all night instead!” He says.

Paul has raised almost £3,000 so far, which his company is generously match-funding.

“Knowing that my fundraising will help others in so many ways is the biggest achievement. It can potentially save somebody else’s life.”