# Ride while you can (not a happy story)



## Skooks (Dec 24, 2008)

My older brother was riding with his good friend on the weekend. They reached the top of the mountain and were taking a break and shooting the breeze when his buddy said he was feeling dizzy and keeled over. Bro couldn't find a pulse so started doing CPR. He called 911 but it took first responders 90 minutes to reach them and by then he was gone. 61 years old and very fit and healthy. Enjoy life while you can folks. RIP Joe.


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

Sorry for your loss. It happens fairly often, with many similar stories/circumstances.


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## connolm (Sep 12, 2009)

Sorry man. I read these stories whenever posted here - but this one hit me for some reason.

Thinking about my own life now...

Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk


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## Guest (Aug 17, 2016)

Skooks said:


> My older brother was riding with his good friend on the weekend. They reached the top of the mountain and were taking a break and shooting the breeze when his buddy said he was feeling dizzy and keeled over. Bro couldn't find a pulse so started doing CPR. He called 911 but it took first responders 90 minutes to reach them and by then he was gone. 61 years old and very fit and healthy. Enjoy life while you can folks. RIP Joe.


Tis a grim reality we face @ any given moment. Joe passed @ a time and place perhaps he would have chosen if he had a say in the matter.

I'm currently seeing a cardiologist for testing, EKG, stress and ultrasound in a couple weeks and if all is considered good it's not to say i'm safe from it happening.


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

I've known of three acquaintances where essentially the same thing happened. Each story has another common thread... Each rider had been ignoring symptoms which indicated they were prone. It will be interesting to see if you or your brother hear the same thing. Once again, sorry for your loss!


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## Guest (Aug 17, 2016)

Sucks. I've had two friends go under similar circumstances in the last two years. One was only 42. The consolation, at least in those cases, was that each was probably going to die from their heart attack regardless of where they were when it happened so having a heart attack doing something they enjoyed made their last moments fun. We're all gonna go, I'd rather not pass away at a desk.


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## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

I'm CONSTANTLY telling my friends to quit putting off things. Rather that's an epic mountain bike trip or something else, GO while you're healthy and able. You never know when your time is up. 

Going to a memorial this Saturday for a friend that recently died from a brain tumor at age 50. Six months prior, he was healthy as could be (non-smoker, non-drinker) and went to the DR for back pain. Ended up being diagnosed with the Stage 3 tumor.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

E-bikes are looking better and better as I get older (almost mid 40's now).

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## Guest (Aug 18, 2016)

targnik said:


> E-bikes are looking better and better as I get older (almost mid 40's now).


put down the e-bike and back away.


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## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

targnik said:


> E-bikes are looking better and better as I get older (almost mid 40's now).


Meh...I'm a firm believer in "you're gonna go when you're gonna go" camp. I had two uncles (brothers) in Texas. Both their parents smoked and their Dad loved his Lone Star. Dad died at age 61 and Mom at 66 from heart disease. Uncle #1 took this to heart (no pun intended) and never smoke, ate healthy, walked regularly and got checked out regularly. he was about 6-1, 185-190 lbs. Uncle #2 smoked, drank plenty of Shiner beer and was 5-9, 390 lbs at one point. Uncle #1 died of a massive heart attack at age 59 in 2009. Uncle #2 is still alive & kicking at age 74.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

k2rider1964 said:


> Meh...I'm a firm believer in "you're gonna go when you're gonna go" camp. I had two uncles (brothers) in Texas. Both their parents smoked and their Dad loved his Lone Star. Dad died at age 61 and Mom at 66 from heart disease. Uncle #1 took this to heart (no pun intended) and never smoke, ate healthy, walked regularly and got checked out regularly. he was about 6-1, 185-190 lbs. Uncle #2 smoked, drank plenty of Shiner beer and was 5-9, 390 lbs at one point. Uncle #1 died of a massive heart attack at age 59 in 2009. Uncle #2 is still alive & kicking at age 74.


You're confusing quantity with quality >.<

A Brother In Arms has fallen.

Let's not turn this thread of remembrance into a healthy lifestyle debate.

(Takes own advice and leaves quietly)

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## azjeff (Jun 3, 2006)

We talk about "he died doing what he loved".

My heart goes out to the friend who was with him. He's changed forever.


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## rogerfromco (Jun 22, 2007)

I'm early 50's and have a friend in his mid-50's that I ride with regularly. he started having heart problems last year and is now on meds to lower his heart rate and is getting a lot of monitoring and routine check ups. It made me look at my family history and being overweight on top of that, I saw a cardiologist and had him run tests that were not approved by insurance since there were no indicators, so I paid for them myself but it has given me good piece of mind for now. 

Everyone take care and realize we are getting older and "it can happen to you". Be safe out there.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

targnik said:


> You're confusing quantity with quality >.<
> 
> A Brother In Arms has fallen.
> 
> ...


Threads evolve. Let it evolve. It might just help someone out.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

My condolences to the OP for the loss of your brother's friend. 


There are a lot of things I enjoy doing that most most people my age won't do or can't do. I can think of worse ways to live.


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

Sorry for your loss. This is a shocker and happens. A few weeks ago my neighbor died unexpectedly in similar manner. 

Indeed go for it. I try to walk the line between responsible and flat out all the time. I've beat my dad's age, just said what happened to my neighbor, and my wife's had a rough road with cancer in the past year. We take all the reasonable opportunities to enjoy life that come up.

This 50+ forum surely has others with this version of biological clock ticking away.

I hope your associate's family will be OK.


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## joeduda (Jan 4, 2013)

I am very sorry for your loss. If there is an good in any of it at least he was doing what he loved to the end. 

After watching my mom slowly die from old age over the last few weeks, this is how I hope I go. None of the suffering and dementia.


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## DiRt DeViL (Dec 24, 2003)

Sorry about your loss, one of my brothers in law died while riding his road bike. He was with a group and had a massive heart attack while pedaling, he just fell and was already dead, he was in his early 50's and in good health.

When my number is up I hope is this way too.


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## slapheadmofo (Jun 9, 2006)

We've lost 2 local riders to crashes this summer (one in his 20s, one 65). Also just heard another was paralyzed this past weekend. 

Serious game we play (even though we like to pretend it's not, or at least I do). 
Buying my son a Leatt brace this w/e. Be careful out there.


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## Skooks (Dec 24, 2008)

slapheadmofo said:


> We've lost 2 local riders to crashes this summer (one in his 20s, one 65). Also just heard another was paralyzed this past weekend.
> 
> Serious game we play (even though we like to pretend it's not, or at least I do).
> Buying my son a Leatt brace this w/e. Be careful out there.


Yup. Have fun but take reasonable precautions. Don't want to derail this thread, but have a look at the Atlas brace as well as the Leatt. My son and most of his DH team like the Atlas better as it has a better range of motion but still seems to provide neck protection.


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## Skooks (Dec 24, 2008)

Thanks for the words of support everybody. Something like this is so hard on friends and family, it's pretty tough for them. I think it will be difficult for my brother to get back on his bike. 

I don't know if there were any early warning symptoms in this case but I do know that Joe had a previous heart attach a few years ago. Please take care of your health everyone, and get out and do things you are passionate about for as long as you can!


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## PineyRose (Sep 30, 2015)

So sorry for your loss! I'm almost 62 and always ride alone, sometimes in pretty remote places, so it's always a concern of mine. My checkups at the doctor have always been good but I have taken advantage of this service a couple of times.

Health Screenings | Preventive Health Screening Tests

It's only $150 for about five good tests and they offer different packages. My insurance doesn't cover it but they did apply it toward my deductible. I also got a discount for it the time my homeowner's insurance sponsored it. My doctor loves it. The first time I told her I did it she had me go to the hospital for them to run the same tests, that my insurance did pay for, and the results were the same. She wanted to see if the tests done by Lifeline were accurate.

The last time I had it done by Lifeline they sent an older lady next to me directly to the hospital. She had an artery show up as mostly blocked. They told her to go straight to the hospital, nowhere else, and probably saved her life. I highly recommend this service.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

I've been lucky or maybe I'm justnit old enough, but all my friends are still kicking. It's sad to hear about someone getting the short straw, you can't help bug think about who's next.

I see a fair number of folks who declined early in life, sonetimes it was lifestyle, sometimes it was bad genes, but most of the time it's just bad luck.

Most people live a long life. Don't let the outliers be the trend.

The best thing you can do is get your systems checked and practice preventative care.

In other words: take your medical provider's advice.

Don't wait to do the cool stuff...every day is a new day.


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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

targnik said:


> E-bikes are looking better and better as I get older (almost mid 40's now).
> 
> Sent from my kltedv using Tapatalk









....


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## Boomchakabowwow (Sep 8, 2015)

RIP biker guy. i wanna go like that. 

none of that hospital, tubes stuck in my body stuff.


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## Pedro1984 (May 20, 2016)

Skooks, 
My condolences on the loss of your brother's friend. I find peace in these sad stories thinking that Joe, and all the others that have left us too early are still riding, just on a different trail. 
Life is short boys, enjoy it and those those that you share it with.
Peace out.


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## Skooks (Dec 24, 2008)

Thanks for the kind words folks. They mean alot, especially coming from other riders.


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## fatcat (Mar 11, 2006)

k2rider1964 said:


> I'm CONSTANTLY telling my friends to quit putting off things. Rather that's an epic mountain bike trip or something else, GO while you're healthy and able. You never know when your time is up.
> 
> Going to a memorial this Saturday for a friend that recently died from a brain tumor at age 50. Six months prior, he was healthy as could be (non-smoker, non-drinker) and went to the DR for back pain. Ended up being diagnosed with the Stage 3 tumor.


^^^^ I agree 100%. I wish I could explain it, but life expectancy drops off like a cliff after 40, you can't judge it by relatives who lived a very long time or a short time because everyone's clock is different. But all I know is, that after 40, that clock ticks to its own drum.

My aunt just passed at the ripe age of 93, but her two sons died at 45 and 61. So you can't go by family histrory alone. Just go out there and enjoy


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