Running for Greatness: Stephen Edwards

A Widnes triple cardiac arrest survivor who became a personal trainer is just one of the many inspirational participants running the AJ Bell Great Manchester Run, raising money and awareness for British Heart Foundation, AJ Bell’s chosen charity.

Stephen Edwards, 39, a former office manager and keen mountain biker, was at home in bed in 2017 when he started to feel unwell. After being transferred to hospital he subsequently had three cardiac arrests and had to be resuscitated by hospital medics. A blocked artery had caused his cardiac arrests Docters later informed him.

Stephen said: “I was on a lot of different medication and the doctors told me I needed to stay on them for the sake of my health. But it was no life. I was told I couldn’t push myself physically for an unknown length of time or I would risk further damage to my heart. I felt like that was a life I didn’t want to live and I became deeply depressed. I was feeling so hopeless and just wanted my life to end.”

“In the end I decided to just get out and go to a gym as a way of killing myself. My plan was to run at the gym until my heart gave out, so it wouldn’t look like suicide to my friends and family, so they wouldn’t have to live with that sadness.”

However, through the running Stephen found his cure. After being approved by his medical team, exercise became a coping mechanism for his depression. and he just got stronger and happier. His love for exercise became his life saver and led to him retraining at a Personal Trainer so he can help others in similar situations turn their lives around too.

“When I was at my lowest point, I remember thinking to myself ‘if someone could just tell me I would get better, that I would make it to the other side. If I had a glimmer of hope, that would be enough for me to keep pushing forward.’ I now want to be that glimmer of hope for other people.”

“I do find that all my clients connect with me more because my truth is lived not learned. I’ve been ill. I’ve been massively overweight. I’ve suffered mentally and physically. I’ve lived these things and survived – and I’ve not learned them from a textbook. I tell them if I can get through it so can you.”

Stephen is running the AJ Bell Great Manchester Run half marathon to show others that there is always hope. “We can get better, and life is out there.”

Chloe Beevers, Partnership Manager at the BHF added: “Without the dedication of people like Stephen and our team of BHF runners we wouldn’t be able to fund research that has already broken new ground, revolutionised treatments and transformed the lives of millions of people in the UK.”

The Great Manchester Run Half Marathon is now sold out and remaining places for the 10K are expected to sell out shortly, so enter now to secure your spot on the famous start line.