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Faced a very sad situation earlier today of finding a rider collapsed on the trail. 😔
My riding buddy and I were climbing up from Pitch Hill car park in the Surrey Hills when we came across a lady and her daughter on the phone next to the collapsed rider. We went over and it was clear he was in a bad way. He was quite cyanosed and unresponsive. We gave CPR for 20 minutes until the ambulance crew arrived and then carried on helping to hold up bags of fluids whilst they took over and tried to revive him with adrenaline etc. Unfortunately he never got into a shockable rhythm and didn’t make it.
He only had a small cut on his chin and had taken his gloves and helmet off, so it appeared he most likely he began to feel unwell and then had a heart attack, rather than a bad fall.
All I know is that he was named Barry and was just 48. I hope he had a good life and died doing something he loved. RIP 😔
bit early but not a bad way to go
RIP Barry
It sounds like you did all you could. Poor guy.
That's terrible to hear. RIP Barry!
Make sure you are ok. That's quite something to experience and will take some time to process.
Poor bloke. RIP.
Good effort on the CPR. Just remember that CPR is an attempt to perform a miracle so don't feel guilty that it didn't work. It's quite a common reaction after something like that.
RIP Barry
There but for the grace of God go I.
Never ride on if your body tells you something is wrong, had mine 6yrs ago at BPW aged 42yrs old and went to the hospital a day later, week later 3 Stents and on Meds for life.
Symptoms were minor a feeling like someone squeezing your jaw and poking you in the chest, my legs refused to spin despite me trying to chase my mate down one of the blues.
Only time I have ever rang my missus whilst out biking to come and pick me up and I have had a few tumbles/injuries.
I have to carry aspirin and angina spray whilst riding. Never used them after about 6 months of recovery time, it turns out that my liver has thrown out bad cholesterol due to a hereditary
genetic condition since puberty and I'm on statins and it dropped my cholesterol from 7.5 to 2 in a month.
Good effort OP. A desperate situation if CPR is needed.
RIP Barry.
Hope you’re okay OP and RIP Barry, ride on
RIP Barry and well done you for helping
Good effort on the CPR. Just remember that CPR is an attempt to perform a miracle so don’t feel guilty that it didn’t work. It’s quite a common reaction after something like that.
I don’t think either of us were ever hopeful sadly. He looked like he’d died some time before we got to him and never looked like pulling through.
One thing I would like to promote was one of the ambulance crew mentioned the what3words app and recommended we installed it. It can help them track you down in remote locations.
https://what3words.com/products/what3words-app/
I’ve made sure I’ve installed it.
RIP Barry and fantastic work OP. Dont forget what you have been through a traumatic event. Seek guidance or help if you need to talk about it.
Very sad to hear but it sounds like you did all you could.
We were out riding our road bikes about this time last year. Nice sunny day, not too hot, just enjoying the ride. We were still warming up when we got overtaken by a group of riders and decided to hang on the back. All went well for the next 20km or so, riding as a group and doing the usual road ride thing.
So after about 45min or so one of the guys in the other club suddenly swerved sideways, knocked a couple of riders off and I was lucky my endo didn't leave me on the floor. We all stop (obviously), and help the guy who'd swerved to the side of the road, waiting for an ambulance. He's conscious, but a bit dazed. Me and my mates leave them as the situation is under control.
A week later we bump into the group again. "How's your mate?" "Lucky he fell off - he had an undiagnosed heart condition, and thanks to that fall he had an emergency operation to sort it out".
TL;DR: over 45, get your heart checked out by a doctor.
Respect for trying to help.
What a shame for everyone
Well done @blitz and take comfort in you doing everything you could. Also make sure you take time to reflect and speak about it to friends even though you didn’t know him I can imagine it’s something that’ll be in your thoughts for some time.
A good friend of mine died whilst mountain biking in the south of France a few years back, a heart attack and was biking alone. As said above, he was doing something he loved so that’s a positive way to look at it.
Sounds like you handled it well and did all that was possible.
Agree with howsyourdad1, make sure you are ok too, that's a tough situation to be in
Not something I think I'm prepared for as never had any real first aid training. Did a rudimentaryCPR thing years ago at work, hopefully will never find out but maybe instinct takes over.
RIP Barry
RIP Barry. Very sad esp for his family. Hope you are ok OP and also the lass and her daughter.
RIP Barry. Very sad esp for his family. Hope you are ok OP and also the lass and her daughter.
Thanks all. Think I’m still processing it but feel ok.
We had to wait to give statements to the police and the lady came over to us to thank us. She looked really shaken up and was in tears. When we were giving CPR I asked her daughter to go to the road to direct the ambulance up and only realised later that she was probably only about 14. I hope she was ok. Must’ve been very difficult for them both as they first found him just before we came along.
Well done for stepping up, when one of us goes it’s never good
RIP Barry. Sorry to hear there’s one less biker on the trails.
Well done OP for doing what you could.
Well done for doing the cpr, I've been trained for it but never had to do it. Hope I never have to. Poor Barry, Rip.
@blitz Sending the daughter was probably the best thing for her, good incident management from you too. CPR can look quite a violent procedure for those who haven't seen it before.
Well done for stepping up and giving it a go.
Rough day OP. You did what you could and I bet that it'll be great comfort to his family that good people were with him.
Well done on the CPR. You have gave him a chance. Without that he definitely dies. As a Paramedic, seriously thank you, it could have made the difference.
rip Barry
Well done you and your buddy and the lady and daughter.
It's far too easy to pass by things that have gone wrong and not stop and help. I hope to goodness that if anything happens to me I am fortunate enough to have someone like you find me and give me a chance I'd otherwise lose.
I hope you and all involved don't suffer too many I'll effects from the experience.
Best wishes
RIP Barry. Well done OP. When I did the same to a club mate after a crash I can tel you that Vinnie Jones “stayin alive” works. Sadly Ralph didn’t make it either. But I looked back over events and I can honestly say that me and my riding group did everything right. I’m sure you did too.
In the field CPR has a remarkably low success rate. But you can never make a grave situation worse.
Condolences to Barry's family.
As others have said CPR is always a last resort thing so don't beat yourself up about it not saving him. At least he went doing something he, presumably, loved doing and with family nearby.
You did your best OP - don’t beat yourself up over it whatever you do.
It’s heartening to know there’s blokes like you who’ll do their best for a total stranger, a kindness that I sometimes think is lacking in today’s society.
RIP Barry, whoever you were, happy trails bud...
Barry was a good friend of ours, and this has obviously come as a huge shock. His wife has asked that I post these words on her behalf:
Thank you to the riders who tried to help my darling Barry on Friday. We his friends and loved ones are devasted by this terrible loss. He loved to ride. He loved his friends and family. And he loved his life. Thank you for doing all you could. And thank you to the emergency crews who came to help. Stay safe and well out there and keep on looking after each other. With love to you all. Tash (Barry's Wife).
My deepest condolences to Tash and the rest of Barry’s family and loved ones.
Rp123 thanks for the update post, I'm sure the OP will appreciate it.
RIP Barry.
Sobering experience.
Oh, that's sad. RIP Barry. Thoughts to those he's left behind 🙁
@rp123 I’m so sorry for your loss. Barry and his loved ones have been in my thoughts a lot over the weekend. I can only imagine what a shock this must have been for you all. Thank you for relaying Tash’s message and I’d just like to offer my sincere condolences.
So sad to hear. Hits home more when it’s a trail you ride often and someone so young.
RIP
Blitz,
Thank you so much for trying so hard to help Baz. He was a great friend of mine and many others - who will no doubt be in touch to express their heartfelt gratitude for your efforts. I am quite sure that If the roles were reversed he would have stepped up too. My heart goes out to the lady and her daughter who were with Baz before you arrived. This must have been a very shocking scene for them too. The comments from this community on your post have provided much comfort to all who knew Baz.
Baz was a great man - who lived life to the full with his lovely wife Natasha. They had so many adventures together and had so many friends who they connected with through various activities including his love of mountain bikes and all things mechanical and technological.
While his untimely death is a great shock to us all, and it is, I feel lucky and very privileged to have shared almost 40 years of friendship with a good lad like Baz. If you knew him, you loved him, and looked forward to hanging out with him.
Thank you for doing all you could for him. It’s a great comfort to know that there are good people in the world who try with all they have to save the life of someone in such distress. I will make sure that I learn CPR and first aid so that I can step up for someone else if needed.
Finally, as an accomplished network engineer, Baz would fully endorse What3words as a tool to accurately triangulate your position for many good reasons outside of this one.
Please reach out to those skilled to help you talk about and process this situation, hug your loved ones a bit harder, remind those you love that you do just that - love them and raise the the nozzle of your camelbak to Baz once in a while on that trial - which he loved to ride. You’re a good person for doing what you did, we are all grateful to you for doing all you could and I hope one day to tell you that in person.
Ride well Bazman... we all miss you x
Thanks Blitz 👍
Trev
Lovely words Trev
Just thought I'd add a photo of Barry (in the middle), so you can all see what a happy guy he was, living life to the full.
Rip Barry
Thanks to everyone here for all of the kind words about Barry aka Baz. He loved riding those trails and I got to ride them numerous times with him over the years. Great memories every time... Trying gamely to clean the last bit of climb up to the top of Leith Hill on a frosty morning but having to bail, swearing and jumping off to push. Again.
The mud, the mechanicals, the descents...he loved it all but he especially loved being out there with his mates. We’ll all miss him dearly.
Thank you Blitz and to your friend for doing what you could for Baz.
RIP Barry, thoughts with his family and friends
I hope this is OK to post, but following on from the comment(s) above from Trevorn;
Based on advice on here a few years ago I have the St Johns App on my phone. It has simple to follow instructions and reads some of them out (such as the CPR instructions). It does not use mobile data so you don't need a phone signal and it could help you if you come across a 'Barry'. A first aid course is probably better, but you can get the App now and be ready in minutes.
48 is no age, so sad for Barry and his family & friends. May be hard to accept but well done to @blitz and the mother/daughter for at least being there for him, and trying their best.
Many thanks for your efforts OP. You and your buddy should feel justifiably proud of yourselves.
From reading the posts here is it clear that Barry/Baz was a top bloke and lived a full life with his family and friends. If there is any better epitaph for a life I don't know what it is.
Also thanks to the poster re the St Johns App. I have had First Training in the past but not sure if I could react like the OP did in such a situation and its good to have a source to fall back on to remind me of what you need to do.
My sincere condolences to everyone who knew Barry.
Bloody hell.
Never knew the bloke but I shall raise a glass tonight.
So sad to read this thread, but good to know that Barry lived life to the full.
It's prompted me to get round to organising a first aid course through work to refresh my skills.
Thoughts with all his Family and Friends. Sounds like a top bloke who lived a full life.
Taken way to early though. Great effort Blitz. Look after yourself mate.
What a great photo of Barry. He was clearly a top bloke and it’s heartwarming to read these words written about him by his friends.
Although he died far too young, it sounds like he lived a full and happy life and I’m sure he’ll live on in the memories of those who knew him well and shared those adventures and experiences with him. I wish I’d have met him in different circumstances but it’s nice to think of him in his prime like this.
Tonight during the STW quiz, we should raise a glass to you blitz for being a true hero. Also a glass to Baz.
RIP.
It's a bit dusty in here.
Hi Blitz
Like a couple of others on here I, too, was a long time friend of Baz's way back from our Uni days.
Sadly, as is often the case, our paths didn't cross as often as I would have liked but we rode some good trails in our time (including a memorable trip over the N York moors and a great trip to Afan a few years back) but I take some comfort from him popping in out of the blue just a few weeks before he passed away. He just happened to be nearby having driven from Woking to Oxfordshire to find some abandoned car 🙂
It must have been a horrible situation to find yourselves in so I wanted to add my thanks to those above for what you did to help.
all the best
Graham