Purcell keeps running the road to recovery

FIVE years ago, after his heart stopped while on a morning run along a Torquay beach, Sean Purcell decided to truly begin living.

Mr Purcell’s miracle recovery, and the generosity of those who saved him, has inspired him to dedicate his life to getting the best out of others and himself.

He again defied the odds last week when he completed the 50-kilometre course at the Surf Coast Century.

Mr Purcell said he had bigger plans in mind as well.

“That’s just the start. It was a bit of a tester to see how I’d go.”

Yet reaching this point is no small milestone.

In 2014, as he lay in the shallow water after his heart had stopped, Mr Purcell was clinically dead.

Luckily, he was quickly spotted by other people on the beach.

A group of about a dozen helpers took care of Mr Purcell and administered CPR for 45 minutes until paramedics reached the site via helicopter.

Mr Purcell said he was still amazed by the humanity these people showed.

“The decision to get down and save my life is a massive decision.

“It subjected a lot of those people to a pretty horrific 45 minutes where they were giving CPR to a dead person.”

Mr Purcell was taken to the Geelong Hospital where he was put into a five-day coma.

His family were told if he did survive it was likely he would have zero brain function.

Despite making a full recovery in that respect, cardiologists informed Mr Purcell he would never be able to run again due to the pressure it would put on his heart.

But he worked closely with Alfred Hospital cardiologist Dr Justin Mariani, who supported his ambition to start running again.

After various operations and changes in medication, Mr Purcell started running once more, and gradually increased his distances to the point where he could compete in the Surf Coast Century.

Mr Purcell has transformed his own life, but he said he was also determined to help transform the lives of others.

“My purpose is to carry on the work and the love that those people on the beach offered me that day.”

He now heads the Empower Sessions, a program by the Cotton On Foundation that empowers youth through delivering quality education projects in Uganda, South Africa, Thailand and Australia.

He also works for the LifeChanger Foundation team, which facilitate self-development workshops for teens.

On November 11, Purcell will speak at The National Young Leaders Day in Melbourne to help others become the best version of themselves.