Several days ago I saw a post on the River City Bicycles Instagram account that showed all the employees receiving CPR training. At the time, I didn’t think much of it — other than noting what it says about shop owner Dave Guettler and his commitment to having a well-trained staff. River City is a Portland institution, one of the best bike shops in America, and Dave is its beloved leader.
Then through the grapevine I began to hear about a recent heart attack Dave suffered while on a ride. I figured I’d get the full story soon enough, but then yesterday, a press release from the American Heart Association dropped into my inbox. “It was supposed to be an ordinary Sunday bike ride,” the press release begins. Here’s more about what happened:
“Dave Guettler and Tia Sherry, owners of River City Bicycles, had pedaled nearly 25 miles into Oregon’s scenic Gorge, chatting about lunch plans and soaking in the beauty of quiet country roads lined with towering trees and fields. For two lifelong cyclists, this was bliss.
Then, in an instant, everything changed.
Dave’s bike began to drift left. At first, Tia thought he was pulling over for a break. But then he went off the road into a ditch and somersaulted over a six-foot wire fence, landing in a cow pasture. When Tia finally reached him after clawing her way over the fence, Dave was gray, his lips blue, his eyes rolled back. He wasn’t breathing. He had no pulse.”
Thank god Tia (a former co-director of The Street Trust) was there and was trained in CPR! Dave is out of the hospital and on the road to recovery (it’s his second trip to the ICU from a bike crash since his run-in with a truck driver on NE Sandy back in 2023). And in typical Dave fashion, he set up a training for 75 employees and friends recently at River City Bicycles.
“We want everyone to learn CPR,” Dave told the American Heart Association. “If Tia hadn’t known what to do, I wouldn’t be here.”
Read more via the American Heart Association.
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The unstoppable Dave Guettler, heal fast and well sir.
So good to hear he will be ok.
Everyone who feels capable should take CPR training. Great to hear that he had someone with him who could help.
A useful reminder of our need to be able to take care of each other. But the “thank god” exclamation seems a bit over the top — it wasn’t god that intervened. It was a well-trained person. Let’s be appropriately thankful for that. And for the fact that River City employees may now be equipped to save more lives in the future!
Does it seem over the top? Really? Might want to read that again without bias to see that the “thank god” referred to her being there….with her training that she enacted on her own.
I’m a longtime atheist and the “thank god” bit didn’t even register with me. It’s a figure of speech. Much like someone reading something ridiculous online and muttering to himself, “Jesus Christ.”
Glad to hear Dave pulled through — that must’ve been a terrifying moment, and massive credit to Tia for knowing CPR and jumping straight in. That kind of quick thinking saves lives.
But honestly Lois, taking a swipe at someone saying “thank god” feels a bit unnecessary. For a lot of people it’s just a natural way of expressing relief or gratitude, not a theological thesis. Let folks have a bit of humanity and even a touch of spirituality in moments like this. No harm in being thankful for skilled people and feeling grateful in a broader sense.
Anyway, the main thing is Dave’s still with us — that’s the real win. Cheers to Tia, the CPR training, and to Dave making a solid recovery. Good on ’em
I often think about what would happen if I myself had “The Big One” while out on a ride. I always ride alone so I’d be completely at the mercy of strangers to notice me and to help.
I took CPR years ago but really need a refresher. Thanks for the reminder.