My Story: Heart Attack, Triple Bypass, and Back on the Bike
I’m 54. In March 2024 I had a heart attack, then triple bypass surgery. I still deal with high blood pressure, cholesterol I can’t get all the way down, and joint and muscle pain that doesn’t quit — even though I eat clean, hit the gym, mountain bike, and stay active.
But I keep moving.
I grew up a metalhead and a skater kid in LA. Gigs, concerts, doing stupid shit. That kid’s still in here somewhere. We’ve all got that kid in us. It’s just easy to forget he’s there.
That’s why I started Ride The Heavy.
I wanted a place to talk about the real shit. Getting older. Loneliness. Struggling. Hurting. All that weight that comes with just existing. I wanted to show people that being scared, being uncertain, having bad days, that’s not weakness. That’s just being human. And it doesn’t last forever.
I started with face cam videos, POV rides, and images with text overlays. People responded. They thanked me for being vulnerable. They said, “I thought I was the only one.” That hit… in the best way.
Then Instagram killed my reach. The algorithm decided my message didn’t fit its engagement model. That was a huge blow.
Ride The Heavy was always supposed to be two things at once. A release for me. Therapy. A place to process my own fears and pains and truths. And proof for somebody else that you can be struggling and still be moving forward. The heaviness is real. It isn’t permanent.
And yeah — if I can pay my bills sharing what’s real and helping people feel less alone, that would be everything. Right now I’m hanging on with web design work, 54 with no safety net. I’ve got things to say and people seem to listen. I think there’s a path here.
The only thing that gets me through the bad hours is knowing I’ve been here before. This too shall pass.
I want to be that voice for somebody else.
Ride The Heavy. For those who refuse to quit.
