Pidge's Pledge

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In August 2023, BRTZR lost one of its own after Gary Pidgeon (Pidge) suffered a cardiac arrest whilst out on a run. In the words of his partner, Karen Vilday: 

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On Saturday, 12th August, Gary told me his planned route, gave me a kiss goodbye, and set off for his 11 mile run. He didn't take his phone and had no other ID on him.

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When he didn't return home, the children and I decided to try to track him down in the car, expecting to find him hobbling down the road with a sore glute...but we failed to find him.

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It turned out that he had collapsed, having suffered a cardiac arrest in a rural area of Tangmere, and was found by a passing truck driver and a fellow runner who administered CPR.

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He was taken by air ambulance to Queen Alexandra hospital, where the Dr's referred to him as "the runner with no name."

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After spending 8 days in intensive care, we said goodbye to Gary on Sunday, 20th August.

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Please read this advice on steps to stay safe, to avoid putting your loved ones through unnecessary anguish, and think twice about running alone in an isolated area: