David Seath: Friends raise £30,000 for soldier who died in London marathon to 'complete what he started'
David Seath had hoped to raise £250 for Help for Heroes and had nearly reached half of his target by the time of the race
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Your support makes all the difference.Friends of the runner who died three miles from the London marathon finish line have raised £30,000 to "complete what he started".
David Seath, 31, an Afghanistan veteran and a Green Beret, was running to raise money for wounded soldiers when he suffered a cardiac arrest around the 23-mile mark of the annual race.
Mr Seath collapsed on Upper Thames Street, near Southwark Bridge, and was rushed to St Thomas' Hospital by paramedics, but died shortly afterwards.
He had hoped to raise £250 for Help for Heroes and had nearly reached half of his target by the time of the race.
On Saturday, he wrote on his Just Giving page: "A big thank you to everyone that has been so generous and sponsoring me for tomorrow.
"I am sure H4H will be equally as appreciative. Every penny counts and to have broken the £200 mark with your help is very special. Thank you all so much."
His friends are planning to walk the final three miles of the race in his memory.
A fundraising page set up by fellow Army officer James Walker-McClimens, 34, reads: "Today we heard the tragic news that our friend Dave Seath passed away whilst taking part in the 2016 Virgin London Marathon. He was three miles short of the finish line and collapsed on Upper Thames Street.
"His friends and colleagues are planning to complete what he started, in his honour. We will walk as one, the final three miles of the marathon, starting where he fell.
"We're raising money for Help for Heroes, a cause he ran and died for. He was our friend and hero. Please share this page far and wide."
Along with the £30,000 his friends have raised, donations to Mr Seath's personal Just Giving page have now reached over £16,000.
Originally from Cowdenbeath in Fife, Mr Seath was a fire support team commander for the 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery.
He grew up in Arbroath, on the East coast of Scotland, before studying International Relations and Management Studies at the University of Aberdeen. He attended the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, and became a commissioned officer in 2010.
His mother Libby Seath said: "David has achieved more in 31 years than most people do in 70.
"He lived his life on the edge and to the full. He was running to raise money for Help For Heroes, a cause which was very important to him."
Around 40,000 people took part in the race around London.
Since the London Marathon began in 1981, a total of 14 competitors have died. In 2014, Rob Berry, 42, from Newbury, Berkshire, collapsed and died after crossing the finish line.
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