Family Take On Half Marathon In Aid Of TASC After Dad’s Death

Three brothers and their sister are running the Liverpool Rock and Roll Half Marathon in memory of their late father who died following a sudden heart attack.

And Ian, Ady and Graham Savage, along with sister Emma, will be raising money for TASC The Ambulance Staff Charity in tribute to the “unbelievable” paramedics who fought so hard to initially save their dad.

Paul Savage, who was 61 and lived in Widnes, Cheshire, was resuscitated by ambulance staff on at least two occasions after his heart stopped beating following a cardiac arrest during a night last November.

Mr Savage then suffered three more heart attacks in the ambulance taking him to nearby Whiston Hospital in Prescot, only to again be revived on each occasion. Sadly, however, he passed away three days later.

His son Ian, aged 39, from Runcorn, Cheshire, has now enrolled his siblings in competing in the Liverpool Rock and Roll Half Marathon on Sunday 20th May. A fifth sibling, Martyn, will be looking after their mother Jennifer on the day so is unable to take part.

At the same time, their various spouses and partners – together with a combined eight children – will also be running in the one mile support race on the same day.

Ian, who has set up a Just Giving page to raise funds for TASC, has also been supported with a £500 donation from his employers, CF Fertilisers, near Chester, plus a £280 collection from his workmates.

He said:

“Our dad passed away from a massive heart attack last November. It was in the middle of the night so our mum called an ambulance. When the paramedics arrived dad had stopped breathing, but they resuscitated and stabilised him twice.

“There were five paramedics in two ambulances and a first responder who were unbelievable in keeping him alive. They were exhausted taking it in turns to resuscitate him. He then had three more heart attacks in the ambulance from his home to the hospital. The professionalism of these people was amazing and we have so much admiration for them.”

Ian said his dad had apparently suffered a number of minor heart attacks in the past which they didn’t know about.

“Sadly he didn’t improve and he passed away three days later. It was the lack of oxygen to the brain when he stopped breathing that proved fatal in the end.”

The family had a collection at the funeral in support of the intensive care unit at Whiston Hospital but then decided to use the half marathon, which they had already entered, to raise money for TASC.

“I have two friends who are paramedics so I know what they go through. As well as thanking the paramedics who cared for our dad, who were nothing short of heroes, we also wanted to make everyone aware of what the ambulance service provides for all of us.”

To support the family’s fundraising in aid of TASC, please visit their Just Giving page at:https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/paulhsavage

For information about TASC The Ambulance Staff Charity, please visit www.theasc.org.uk
You can also follow TASC on Facebook at @TASC The Ambulance Staff Charity or via Twitter at @TASCharity”