Portland business owner joins the Nation of Lifesavers
PORTLAND, Ore., March 5, 2026 — It was supposed to be an ordinary Sunday bike ride. 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.
“I knew immediately it was a medical emergency,” Tia recalls. “I thought maybe he was choking, but when I checked his airway, there was nothing. He was gone.”
Adrenaline surged. She straightened Dave’s body, unzipped his bike jersey and began CPR, something she had only practiced on a classroom mannequin. After starting CPR, Tia knew she needed help, but her phone was on the other side of the fence on her bike, so she kept going.
Tia pushed hard and fast on Dave’s chest, providing breaths every 30 compressions. “I remembered they said you might break ribs. And I did. But I wasn’t stopping," Tia said. "I never imagined I’d need CPR for my husband, but I wholeheartedly believe it’s our responsibility to be ready to help others. That’s why I stay CPR-certified.”
After what seemed like an eternity performing CPR, a man walked toward them on the road. She screamed at him to call 911. He told her that paramedics were on the way. With superhuman effort, Tia continued CPR until help arrived and took over.
When they arrived, firefighters cut through the fence. An automated external defibrillator (AED) shocked Dave twice before his heart started beating again. He was airlifted to a hospital, where doctors performed a quadruple bypass and implanted an ICD (a device that acts as both pacemaker and defibrillator).
Two days later, Dave woke up in the intensive care unit with no memory of what happened. “It was surreal,” he says. “I was the picture of health—cycling thousands of miles, no symptoms, nothing. And then, I was gone.”
Today, Dave is riding his bike once again, all because Tia knew CPR and acted without hesitation.
Be Ready to Act
Cardiac arrest strikes suddenly and often without warning. It can happen to anyone, anywhere—on a bike ride, at work, at home. More than 70% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in homes, and survival depends on immediate action. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival.1
When Dave recovered enough to return to work, he and Tia made plans to train all their employees in CPR. Today, thanks to their commitment, 75 new people are certified in CPR, part of the American Heart Association’s Nation of Lifesavers™.
“We want everyone to learn CPR,” Dave said. “If Tia hadn’t known what to do, I wouldn’t be here.”
Join the Nation of Lifesavers™
The American Heart Association’s goal is bold: train someone in every household in CPR by 2030. You can be part of that movement. YOU are the first responder until help arrives.
- Learn CPR today: https://heart.org/nation
- Bring a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan to your workplace: Stock an AED, train your team, and run drills.
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About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us in Oregon and southwest Washington, find the American Heart Association on heart.org/Oregon, Facebook, Instagram or X.
For Media Inquiries:
Jay Wintermeyer, jay.wintermeyer@heart.org
1 American Heart Association, “CPR Facts & Stats,” accessed March 6, 2026, https://cpr.heart.org/en/resources/cpr-facts-and-stats/.
