James McComish to run Bournemouth half marathon to raise funds for hospital ICU unit which saved his life.

A MAN battling Covid who was told he may never wake up again after being put into a coma is now marathon running to raise funds for the ICU unit which saved his life.

James McComish fell ill in October 2021 and was rushed to hospital struggling to breathe. Doctors told him they needed to put him on a ventilator but warned him and his family that he might not survive.

The father-of-two said: “My son had caught Covid at school and gave it to all of us. I came down really hard with it – I felt really ill and then started to have trouble breathing.

“It was very frightening.”

James was taken to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital where he spent four days in ICU in a medically induced coma.

He and his family were warned that he might not come out of it.

But after two weeks James was well enough to be taken off the ventilator and start his recovery. At first, he found he was not even strong enough to stand, having lost three-and-a-half stone.

James (45), who runs McComish Insurance Brokers, part of the Ringwood-based A-One Insurance Group, said: “I had gone on a 10-mile run two weeks before I became ill but now I didn’t have any strength at all.

“I couldn’t even unlock my mobile phone by pressing my code in.

“All my muscle mass had wasted away. My legs had literally halved in size. Simple tasks were beyond me – it was quite a shock.”

James said he realised how much he had taken life for granted, saying: “I couldn’t even brush my teeth or go to the bathroom by myself. I had to use a Zimmer frame for a while and have physio.

“All the doctors and nurses were so wonderful I decided in the hospital that I was going to raise funds for it when I was well enough. “

When he got home James started off regaining his fitness by walking, eventually working up to short runs.

In October last year he managed to run a half marathon and this April he completed the virtual London Marathon in five-and-a-half hours.

“I now manage to run 40-50 miles a week and am aiming to run the Bournemouth half marathon in October. I am so grateful to everyone who helped save my life. This is my way of giving back.”

James has already raised more than £2,800 for the hospital and says he intends to carry on running to raise money for it as long as he can.

To donate visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/james-mccomish-1