Iceland’s chief executive thanked the paramedics who saved his life after he collapsed near the London Marathon finish line.
Richard Walker was running alongside fellow Icelander Simon Felstead to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Research UK charity.
In an Instagram post, the 43-year-old said he passed out and fell unconscious less than three kilometers from the finish line due to hyperthermic shock, adding that his body temperature was “42ºC and rising”.
“Truth be told, I didn’t train enough and I pushed myself too hard that day – probably a bit of Everest arrogance,” he said, referring to his successful ascent of the world’s highest mountain last year.
“I woke up about half an hour later, surrounded by an incredible team of doctors, covered in ice and with all sorts of things stuck inside me.
“I can’t thank them enough – they were the true heroes of the day and I owe them my life,” he said of the St John Ambulance workers.
Executive Chairman of Iceland, Richard Walker
Walker was running his first marathon but climbed Mount Everest in May last year to raise more than £1 million for The National Brain Appeal to build the world’s first Rare Dementia Support Centre.
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He said: “I’m totally impressed by everyone who ran the marathon and all the inspiring stories behind people’s motivation to do it.
“Seeing all the charitable efforts was very moving.”
More than 50,000 people ran the 26-mile London Marathon on Saturday, including politicians, costumed actors and costumed amateurs.
This story originally appeared on News.sky.com read the full story
