A fundraiser set up in Sheffield to raise money for a man who was electrocuted at work and pronounced medically dead for 30 minutes has raised £59,000.
Last September Brian Feeney fell off a cherry picker while working for his construction company Carrabay Rebar near Sydney, Australia after being electrocuted and landed face down on the concrete.
The then 31-year-old, whose sister lives in Sheffield, required open body surgery to stop the internal bleeding.
Mr Feeney, who moved to Sydney 10 years ago, was left in a coma for four months and on a ventilator for seven to eight weeks with a 10% chance of survival due to damage to his internal organs.
Rory Finch, 28, owner of Made to Move Ltd in Kelham Island, said: “With his family being halfway across the country they have felt helpless, stressed and worried.”
Mr Finch is close friends with Mr Feeney’s sister, Elaine Rotherham, and decided to hold a 24-hour running challenge in order to help pay for Mr Feeney’s £71,000 stem surgery and special neurological therapy.
He said: “I am completely moved and humbled with the effort all our fundraisers put in. It has been a life changing event to be involved in. The energy, comradery, good will, generosity and love shown by every single person.”
The event, which took place from 7am until 7am from Saturday 22nd April until Sunday 23rd, was held at Made to Move gym and physiotherapy clinic in Kelham Island where fundraisers could use treadmills and bikes or could also go on local runs or organised walks through the Peak district.
From his hospital bed, Mr Feeney said: “Thank you everyone for my help. I really appreciate it. Thank you so much guys. Love you big time.”
On the Go Fund Me page, Elaine said: “Our Run for Brian challenge was an incredible success.
“I feel completely moved and humbled with the effort all of our fundraisers put in … pushing their bodies to the absolute limits.”
Fundraisers have also taken place in Australia, America and Ireland where people have had the opportunity to run anywhere between five kilometres and a marathon, having collectively clocked 1,068.4 miles so far.
To donate go to Fundraiser for Brian Flannelly by Paul Kilroy : Run For Brian (gofundme.com)
