Patrick Raycraft (Above center, in the red & white jersey) was an experienced rider enjoying ECRT’s EA2EVL Fondo charity bike ride on October 5, 2024, when, near the 32-mile mark, he knew he was experiencing symptoms of a heart attack.

As luck would have it, he spotted a spectator and his pickup truck parked at the side of the road, and he asked to be driven back to the previous water stop, the Ashford Community Center in West Valley.

Once there, emergency responders were called, while Fondo volunteers found some aspirin for Patrick, and a cardiac nurse who was also riding the Fondo tended to him until the ambulance arrived. Patrick was unconscious at this point and he now says, “The next thing I recall is waking up in a helicopter, banking to the left.”

After he was stabilized at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital in Springville, Patrick was flown by Mercy Flight to Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute, where he then received critical cardiac care. He had suffered a massive heart attack and cardiac arrest. Only 10% of patients survive heart events such as his.

The world’s smallest heart pump, the Impella, was implanted. This tiny pump, developed by Abiomed (Johnson & Johnson), allows the heart to rest and recover by temporarily assisting the pumping function of the heart to efficiently deliver blood and oxygen to the entire body.

Patrick spent 16 days in BGMC/GVI, before being transferred to a Hartford, CT, hospital near his home where he spent an additional 10 days. His health today is the result of countless hours of nursing care, physical therapy, yoga, acupuncture, mental health therapy and other therapies, and he’s extremely grateful to everyone who helped him, from the day of his health crisis to today.

6 months later, on April 4th 2025, Patrick returned to the BGMC/GVI to be reunited with and thank many of the people of his care team, including Dr. Vijay Iyer and nursing staff; plus support teams from West Valley Volunteer Hose Company, Mercy Flight, Bertrand Chaffee Hospital and Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home, and Johnson & Johnson MedTech Heart Recovery, the maker of his implanted heart pump.

All of us at ECRT are so thankful and thrilled that Patrick survived this medical crisis and has fully recovered. He is already planning to ride in the 2025 EA2EVL Fondo on October 4, 2025!

Enjoy more photos of the reunion at BGMC/GVI on Flickr at https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjC7MYp. (Photos by Kaleida Health)