Against a backdrop of roaring cheers, warm hugs and tears of joy and triumph, two UK brothers have crossed the final finish line of an extraordinary 33-day, 33-marathon challenge that has already raised £1.5 million for life-saving frontotemporal dementia (FTD) research.
Jordan and Cian Adams, originally from Redditch in Worcestershire, England, closed out their grueling fundraising journey in Dublin’s Merrion Square on the final leg, where hundreds of local supporters lined the route to cheer them across the line. Joined by close friends and family, including their sister Kennedy Frampton, with their father John and grandfather Glenn watching from the crowd, the pair completed their final 26.2-mile stretch just five hours after setting off from north Dublin that morning.
The ambitious challenge carries deeply personal meaning for the brothers. Their mother Geraldine passed away at age 52 following an FTD diagnosis, and both siblings inherited the rare genetic mutation that causes the condition, meaning they are statistically likely to develop FTD symptoms in their 40s. Operating under the moniker the “FTD Brothers”, the pair launched their challenge at the London Marathon, where Jordan completed the course with a full-sized refrigerator strapped to his back — a stunt designed to draw public attention and spark curiosity about their cause. The day after the London Marathon, they traveled to Ireland to begin a cross-island odyssey, running one full marathon in each of Ireland’s 32 counties over the following 32 days to hit their total 33-marathon goal.
In an emotional address to the crowd gathered at the finish line, Jordan reflected on the moment he learned he carried the FTD gene. “I walked out of the hospital that day knowing I wanted to make an impact on the world,” he said. Remembering his mother as “beautiful, vivacious, [and] the coolest mum you could ever ask for”, he added that a devastating diagnosis is not a sentence to defeat. “The hand you get dealt can consume you, or you can walk through a door where you use it as a powerful message to the world. No matter how much time you have here, or what cards you’ve been dealt, you always have a choice in how you play your hand.”
For the brothers, the cross-Ireland journey carried extra personal significance beyond fundraising. Though they grew up in England, their mother’s family roots stretch across Ireland, where multiple relatives have also been affected by FTD. Cian shared that the month of running allowed the pair to reconnect with their family’s heritage. “Our mum brought us here numerous times as kids, so getting to go back to Longford and Leitrim, to see where our granddad went to school and our nan grew up, it was incredibly special,” he said.
The feat has drawn widespread praise, including a personal letter of congratulations from the Prince of Wales, who wrote he was “incredibly impressed with your inspiring journey and ambitious challenge to undertake 32 consecutive marathons across Ireland.”
In the days leading up to the final marathon, both brothers acknowledged the extreme physical toll of the challenge, telling reporters they were already “shattered” after 30 straight days of running. The final route saw limited public participation in the opening miles for safety, with only friends and family allowed to join for the closing 10 kilometers to the finish line.
Speaking after his sons crossed the finish line, John Adams brushed aside suggestions the brothers were extraordinary, describing them as “just normal working-class boys from a small town in the Midlands.” Their grandfather Glenn Adams, who accompanied the pair on most of their Irish journey while also traveling back to England regularly to care for his own partner who lives with dementia, said the family’s legacy of grit was the real driving force. “It’s hard to put into words how proud I am of them. They are wonderful, and this grit and determination is a family trait that gets passed right down through the generations,” he said. “And I have to say, the people of Ireland were so generous, every person I spoke to was incredibly kind.”
Their sister Kennedy Frampton said she remains endlessly inspired by how her brothers have turned devastating personal news into purpose. “I’m so grateful they haven’t let this diagnosis overcome them,” she said. “They actually make every day count, and I couldn’t be prouder.”