‘I was dead for four minutes...now I’m running a marathon’
Noel Williamson has always taken his health seriously. He doesn’t drink or smoke, eats well and exercises regularly.
But a routine training session at his local running club turned into a life‑threatening emergency when Noel’s heart suddenly stopped without warning.
Thanks to his determination and hard work, Noel has made a remarkable recovery. Now, he wants to use his experience for something positive.
He is sharing his story to raise awareness of heart attack and cardiac arrest, and to support local charity Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke (NICHS) as he prepares to take on the Irish Life Dublin Marathon in aid of the organisation.
Noel, 60, explains: “I’m originally from Portglenone but now live in County Meath where I’m a member of St Andrew’s Athletic Club. I was out on the track on 16th July last year, training for an upcoming 10‑mile race, when I just went down on my hands and knees and fell over, dead.
"I had had a heart attack and went into cardiac arrest. My heart had stopped and stayed like that for four minutes. It is terrifying to think I was dead for that time.”
He owes his survival to the quick actions of fellow club members. “Thankfully, there were other members of the club there, including a doctor and a nurse, who ran to my aid, performed CPR and used the club’s defibrillator whilst an ambulance was on its way.
"I was actually lucky to die where I did. I’ve often gone running at the track and no one else has been around. I’m lucky there were a lot of people there that night and some who knew CPR.”
Noel’s ordeal didn’t end when the ambulance arrived. His heart had to be restarted again on the way to the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital in Dublin. Medical staff later told him they had little hope he would survive, as the survival rate after a cardiac arrest is just 3%.
“At hospital they did a balloon angioplasty which showed I had four blocked arteries”, Noel says.
"I had a quadruple bypass five days later. I never dreamed I would have a heart attack or cardiac arrest; I was fit and healthy, but I later found out I had a genetic condition.
"The cardiologist told me this would have happened no matter what, but if my lifestyle wasn’t as healthy as it was, this would have happened earlier and wouldn’t have been survivable.”
Looking back, Noel realises he had symptoms he didn’t recognise.
“In the months leading up to my heart attack and cardiac arrest I had a pain in my back. I knew something wasn’t right, but I never thought it was my heart.
"I thought it was a trapped nerve or a pulled muscle, and I went to a physio twice about it. I was told afterwards a back pain can be a sign of a cardiac issue, but I didn’t know that at the time.
"It’s important that if people have something that is niggling them, they get it checked out. Keep pushing if you aren’t happy about something because your health is number one.”
Noel has no memory of the five days between the cardiac arrest and the quadruple bypass due to the medication he was on. But when he finally came round, he made himself a promise: “If I got through this, I would try and do something to help others and raise some money for charity. A marathon is the ultimate challenge, so that is what I set myself.”
He went home about a week after the bypass and completed his rehab with the Cardiac Rehab Team at Heart House in Dublin.
“Thinking about trying to get back to physical activity was scary but what really helped me was when I started cardiac rehab. I discussed my goals with the team, and we worked together to get me back on my feet.
"They monitored me closely and that gave me the peace of mind to push a little and see what I could do but in a safe environment. That gave me the confidence I needed.”
Six weeks after surgery, Noel returned to his club’s track and ran 400 metres.
“About fifty people came to run with me, and I prayed the whole way as I was so scared the same thing might happen again. My nerves were shattered.
"Every week I added another 400 metres and that’s how I built my running back up. I took things slowly, kept in touch with my doctor and just kept building on my strength each week.”
In the February after rehab, Noel completed a challenge of running 10 kilometres every day for sixteen days to raise money for The Irish Heart Foundation and the Mater Hospital. He then completed the 2025 Dublin Half Marathon for both organisations.
“You never lose sight of where you come from however, so I wanted my next challenge to help people in Northern Ireland, which is why I am doing the Irish Life Dublin Marathon for Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke, a great local charity.”
Although Noel is now in a positive place, he is open about the impact of his experience.
“Physically I am still in pain. During the quadruple bypass, my sternum was cut open, and I have issues with my nerve endings, it’s like electric shocks going through your body. I can deal with the pain, you learn to live with it, but the mental impact has been massive too and that’s something a lot of people don’t realise.”
“For months afterwards I was scared to go to the toilet on my own and worried every day that I might drop dead again. Trying to come to terms with the fact I actually died has been extremely hard. You have bad weeks and good weeks.
"It’s like a death in the family, sometimes it just hits you in waves. You think, ‘I was lying on the ground dead. How am I still here?’ It can be a big slap of reality.”
He also knows he is fortunate. “I’ve talked to others at cardiac rehab who have been left with so much damage to their hearts that they will only live for another few years. I’m lucky compared to what others are going through.”
Noel hopes his story will encourage others to take symptoms seriously. “I want to use what happened to me for something positive. The more awareness of heart attack and cardiac arrest the better. Hopefully sharing my story will encourage others to get things checked out. I was fit and healthy and this happened to me.”
He also wants people to know recovery is possible.
“When I first came out of hospital I came out in a wheelchair. I couldn’t walk. I wasn’t allowed to drive. I couldn’t cut the grass. It made me think, ‘Where is my life going?’ I would say however, look for the positives, take small steps, keep going and hopefully you will see it’s not all bad, that things can improve.”
“I might be going to the extreme of doing a marathon but even if you get out for a walk down the street and go a little further each day that’s positive. Do what you can to help your recovery. Take little steps, keep positive and there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
Noel adds: “Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke is celebrating its 80th anniversary which is an amazing achievement. I want to achieve something amazing too.
"Running 26.2 miles—that’s the distance between comfort and courage. Every mile I run is a reminder of why I’m doing this; to make a real difference for those who need it most. I’m lucky to be alive, have a lot to be thankful for and I’m enjoying life.”
Leigh Osborne, community and events fundraising Manager at NICHS, says: “We are extremely grateful to Noel for sharing his powerful story, raising awareness of heart attack and cardiac arrest, and taking on the incredible challenge of running the Irish Life Dublin Marathon in aid of our charity.
“Chest, heart and stroke conditions and illnesses account for 38% of all deaths in Northern Ireland, compared to 27% caused by cancer.
"Many people will find this fact surprising. Today, 40% of our adult population are living with a chest, heart or stroke condition or illness - approximately 600,000 adults. This is why the work of our charity is so vital.”