Daragh Burke completed the Great North Run, a 13.1-mile race from Newcastle to South Shields, in memory of his childhood best friend, PC Matthew Blades. PC Blades was one of two Cleveland Police officers killed in a collision on the A66 in August.
Burke, 37, finished the race in 2 hours and 59 minutes, fulfilling a challenge Blades had set for himself to raise money for Parkinson's UK. Blades, who had previously committed to a year-long series of races and had completed a 310km challenge in January, had chosen the Great North Run as his second-to-last event.
PC Blades was remembered by colleagues and friends as a devoted family man and a cheerful individual. He and his colleague, PC Tom Clough, 38, died when their marked police armed response vehicle was struck by a Volkswagen Passat that was traveling the wrong way on the dual carriageway. All seven occupants of the two vehicles were killed in the incident.
An investigation into the circumstances of the collision has been launched by the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Cleveland Police is also conducting a broader inquiry into alleged criminal activity preceding the crash. Authorities believe the Passat had been reported for dangerous driving prior to the collision.
Burke noted that neither he nor PC Blades had prior experience running the Great North Run. He described his friend as "the happiest person you could ever meet, always smiling, always up for a laugh and just made time for everyone." Burke also shared that Blades would have found the idea of him undertaking the half marathon with minimal preparation humorous.
The pair had been friends for 30 years, attending primary school together and remaining close into adulthood, also serving as godfathers to each other's children. PC Blades' commitment to Parkinson's UK stemmed from his mother-in-law's diagnosis with the condition. His fundraising efforts for the charity had already raised thousands of pounds.
The Parkinson's UK charity expressed gratitude to Burke for completing the race in his friend's memory. Great North Run organizers confirmed Burke's running number was reallocated, emphasizing the importance of participants not swapping numbers due to linked personal information.