A Mukwonago man jumped into action when a woman collapsed, stopped breathing and lost a pulse while running the Chicago Marathon.

“The doctors don’t think you should be here right now. It’s really amazing that you’re here,” Brian Beres said of what doctors told the woman after she was revived.

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Brian usually spends his days at ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital-Mukwonago handling emergency situations as a nurse. So he didn’t hesitate when something happened during the maran. But he says the reason he runs is what got him there that day.

“I’m running to the hospital,” Brian said.

Brian Beres talks about Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. Brian has been a marathon runner for more than a decade. He runs the Bank of America Chicago Marathon almost every year to raise money for that hospital in honor of his son Kieran.

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“He had life-saving surgery at 5 days old,” Brian said.

Along with raising money, Brian’s other mission this year was to run the 26.2 miles in a time that would qualify him for the Boston Marathon. Something he was about to do.

“I was kind of in a rhythm with how I was running and everything felt good,” Brian said.

He was almost at the end of the race, just after mile 21, when something happened in front of him.

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“There was a woman running, not 10 meters in front of me, collapsed. I ran straight to her,” said Brian.

He says his instincts as an emergency nurse kicked in.

“She had no pulses and she wasn’t breathing,” Brian said. “I immediately started CPR on her with this bystander.”

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Brian performed CPR on the woman for 45 minutes before firefighters were able to get her off the track and to the hospital. He was worried she wouldn’t make it. But just as he runs after his son, who is his miracle, Brian said he was able to relay a miracle in the same place his son was saved.

“It came full circle,” Brian said.

He was invited to meet runner Maria Sutton on Wednesday night in Chicago. Maria had suffered a heart attack while running. Marathon organizers said: “We are deeply grateful for the quick actions of Brian, first responders and others on the course who provided assistance.”

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“This was God’s way that this is the race you are going to run. This is what will happen, fate intervened with my being there. I was meant to be there for her,” Brian said.

Brian had been trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon. He hopes there is still a way he can be considered a candidate. Otherwise, he plans to run Chicago again next year.

Full statement from the Bank of America Chicago Marathon:

“At the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, the safety and well-being of our participants, volunteers, spectators and community members is our highest priority. An important part of the event’s safety messages is the importance of hands-only CPR and being prepared to lend a helping hand in the event of an emergency We are deeply grateful for the quick actions of Brian, the first responders as well as others on the course to help a runner in distress exemplifies the collaborative spirit that promotes the health and safety of all event participants and showcases what the Bank of America Chicago Marathon is all about.”

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