For those that don’t know me I am Helder Barroso, and in May 2025, I faced a moment and situation that changed everything. One of my closest friends Dom (Amit) collapsed in the back of my car. He was having a heart attack.

We were driving him to A&E because we had been told the ambulance would be up to an hour so it would be quicker for us to take him to A&E ourselves. And in that very moment, everything changed. Dom collapsed in the back of my car. He was unresponsive, not breathing and had no pulse. His wife Anisha and I did the only thing we could, we performed CPR for 15 long, uncertain minutes, clinging onto as much hope as possible until the paramedics arrived.

What happened next felt surreal. The emergency team worked on him for over 90 minutes before he was taken to hospital, where he was placed in an induced coma. For two agonising days, we didn’t know if he would survive. The chances of survival of this type of episode were very slim, and the odds were truly stacked against him.

But Dom, against all odds, did survive and is thankfully still with us today. He’s a father, a husband, a son, and someone I feel incredibly lucky to call a friend. I’m grateful I was there with his wife, and that we had the knowledge and courage to act decisively when every second counted.

That moment stayed with me.

It reminded me how fragile life is... how vital it is to act when it truly matters, and how important the work of organisations like the British Heart Foundation truly is.

Now, I want to give back. Not just with words, but with action.

So I’ve committed to something way outside my comfort zone:

I'm running the London Marathon 2026 (If I get a spot) to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

Here’s the twist:

I’m not a runner. I’ve never run a marathon in my life.

In fact, I’ve spent the last 15+ years focused on muscle, strength, and performance as a personal trainer.

But this isn’t about being the fastest or the fittest — it’s about doing something meaningful.

It’s about honouring a second chance.

It’s about showing my daughter what courage and commitment really looks like.

It’s about raising money for a cause that saves lives — just like it saved my friend’s.

I’m documenting the entire journey through a YouTube series called Muscle vs Marathon — where I’m testing whether I can train for endurance without losing the muscle I’ve worked hard to build.

But this isn’t just my story.

It’s about all of us — the families who’ve lost someone too soon, the survivors who got a second shot, and the future lives that can be saved through better research, education, and treatment.

👉 Every donation, big or small, helps.

It helps fund lifesaving research.

It helps families stay together.

It helps build a healthier future for us all.

🙏 Please donate. Share this page. Help spread the word.

This is for Dom. This is for every family who has faced the fear and uncertainty of heart disease. This is for every life that can still be saved.

I’m running with purpose. I’m running with my whole heart.

Together, let’s run with heart. ❤️

— Helder Barroso