Man Who Nearly Died During Grand Rapids Marathon Tells Story
Back in 2017, my dad ran the Riverbank Run, and even though it wasn't his first rodeo, something happened that day that did not go to plan. My dad called the day a "perfect storm". Around half through the race, he just started to not feel well. Then, as he crossed the finish line, he collapsed.
He didn't even remember getting there. He was rushed to the hospital. It was very scary. So when I hear stories of other runners having health scares, it strikes a chord with me. That very thing happened in the latest Grand Rapids Marathon when a man suffered a heart attack early in the race. Now, he's shared his story.
Tim's Heart-Stopping Run
On October 20th, Tim Ruff expected his day to be as normal as any other race day. That's how the race started, too. Until he got 4.5 miles in and his body started to feel tingly. According to a lengthy post on Facebook, Tim immediately hit the ground, and his heart stopped.
Tim had suffered a heart attack, the worst kind, known as "the Widow Maker" due to its very low rate of survivability. The doctors say he would have had this attack whether he was running or not. His survival was miracle after miracle I encourage you all to read his full account of the experience,
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Running such long distances is a fun activity, but one that does bring about its risks. Tim is lucky to be alive and was saved by the work of many different people at different points.
Take care of your body. Get your heart checked. You might only get a 3 second warning sign before it’s gone in a blink.
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