Devastated father honours 'fitness freak' son who tragically died while running a marathon
THE heartbroken father of a self-confessed “fitness freak” who collapsed and died during a marathon paid tribute last night to his “caring, loving boy with no bad side to him”.
Sports fanatic Sam Harper Brighouse, 23, had a heart attack while running the race in Brighton.
Spectators lining the seaside course watched in horror as the university graduate, 23, from Forest Hill, southeast London, collapsed by the side of the road at the 16-mile mark.
Paramedics and an off-duty policeman desperately tried to resuscitate him but he was pronounced dead at the city’s Royal Sussex County Hospital soon after.
His father Richard, 50, said yesterday: “He was a caring, loving boy with no bad side to him. He was a really nice, straightforward guy.
“He loved sport. He trained really hard and was as fit as a fiddle. We are mystified, he has always been into sports like football and basketball and was very healthy.”
Mr Harper Brighouse was following the race with other members of his family on Sunday and noticed his son’s electronic tracker had suddenly stopped working halfway through.
He said: “We thought the tracker had failed but then received a call at the finishing line saying he had collapsed. We just cannot believe it. We are devastated.”
Sam, who graduated from Sheffield University last year with a biology degree, had just finished a three month internship with record label Hospital Records and hoped to work as a producer.
He had been running for the charity Arms Around the Child, which helps children in Africa and India who have been affected by Aids.
On his fundraising page before the start of the race, he said: “I’m running, jogging and crawling the Brighton Marathon for Arms Around the Child because I want to raise money for a good cause.”
Last night many people had visited his online fundraising page and pledged almost £10,000 in his name.
He had hoped to raise £500 for the charity.
Friend Chloe Davies said in a tribute: “I can’t even comprehend how much you’ll be missed. You were a very special person.”
Hairdresser Claire Squires, 30, suffered a heart attack and died during last year’s London Marathon. More than £1million was raised for
