RUNNER DIES IN CITY RACE
NEW HALF-MARATHON TRAGEDY COMES YEAR AFTER TWO LOST LIVES TAKING PART IN SAME EVENT
THE family of Ben McDonald, who died in last year’s Cardiff Half Marathon, have said they are “devastated” by the news of another tragedy this year.
Race organisers confirmed yesterday afternoon that a runner had died in this year’s event following a “medical emergency”.
Fifty-two of Ben’s family and friends took part in this year’s event, wearing “For Ben” T-shirts designed by Ben’s best friend.
Ben’s brother, Drew McDonald, 35, who was taking part in the Half Marathon, said: “As a family, we are shocked and devastated that another family has to go through the same process that we have been dealing with for the past year.”
Ben McDonald suffered a cardiac arrest after crossing the finishing line in last year’s run.
Sadly, the 25-year-old later died in hospital.
Ben’s two brothers and girlfriend, who all ran alongside Ben last year, were among the family members running this year, together with his parents, Ruth and Paul.
Drew said he ran yesterday to keep Ben’s memory alive and to prove he could take on the challenge.
He said: “I’m here to keep Ben’s memory alive. We wanted to do it together as a family to keep the family spirit strong.
“I did it to not give in to fear. I saw it as a challenge and wanted to try to beat my time last year.
“I thought, if I could come back this year and do this, I could overcome anything.
“For me personally it was always going to be a difficult day, but I couldn’t have just stayed at home.
“Life is a challenge, but we have just got to take it and support each other.”
Drew ran the race in one hour 34 minutes. It wasn’t quite the time he wanted, but the main goal was to make Ben proud.
Ben’s family have been working with charities Welsh Hearts and the British Heart Foundation.
Welsh Hearts started the Have a Heart Appeal which aims to raise £1m to screen every young heart in Wales.
As part of this appeal, the charity launched The Ben McDonald Heart Screening Fund following his death.
The fund has been set up to offer free heart screening to people aged between eight and 45 to reduce deaths caused by undiagnosed heart conditions.
On Saturday, October 5, a screening session in memory of Ben took place at his old secondary school.
Drew said: “I just want people to go and get their hearts checked. The problem is, nobody ever thinks it will happen to them.
“You always think these things only happen to somebody else.
“I almost didn’t want to have it done myself. I was scared in case there was something wrong with me, but I did it for my family and my kids.”
The family said they didn’t run the half marathon for a specific charity, but for themselves as family and friends of Ben.
However, they sold 90 yellow T-shirts in Ben’s memory and raised £200 over their £300 target. The family haven’t decided what to do with the money yet, but think they’d like to split it between Welsh Hearts and the British Heart Foundation.
Ben’s other brother, Steve McDonald, 40, said the support they received was overwhelming.
He said: “It’s really nice that people care and sympathise with the family, I think because there is no reason why it happened to our brother – he was really fit.
“He regularly ran 5k to work and we had gone on some long-distance running before the half marathon last year to prepare him for it.
“He tried to live life to the full – he was happy go lucky. We want to live the way he lived and keep going.”
Amy Stanton-Foo, 20, from Barry was Ben’s girlfriend. She said there was no option not to run in this year’s race.
She also praised race organisers for letting her run with the same number Ben ran with last year – 10354.
She said: “Last year was obviously very intense and difficult, so this year I wanted to do it for Ben and myself.
“I ran the first five miles, but then it got difficult and I started walking.
“What made me start running again was the people shouting my name and showing their support.
“I didn’t even know all of them, I saw strangers running past me in Ben’s T-shirts, it spurred me on.”
All year Amy said she’d received support. In November, she went to Chamonix ski resort, where Ben used to work.
“I found it difficult being there at first, but they were so nice to me and showed so much support because they knew Ben well themselves.” Amy is going back this year. Dom Tsoi, 26, was Ben’s best friend. An illustrator, he designed the T-shirts in Ben’s memory. He ran the Cardiff Half yesterday for the first time.
He said: “It was super-hard. I think everyone is feeling the same, it brings back everything from last year, but it is so amazing to have everyone here.”
He added that it meant a lot to him to be able to design the T-shirts.