Gesonde fietsryer oorleef hartaanval ná eerste gruiswedren

GAUTENG. – Sean Badenhorst (55) ‘n Johannesburgse fietsryer, wat homself as fiks met ‘n gesonde leefstyl beskryf, het Saterdag, net ná afloop van sy eerste gruiswedren ’n hartaanval oorleef.

Sean sê in ‘n sosialemediaplasing hy het kort ná die 83 km-wedren begin kortasem raak en ongemak in sy bors ervaar. Hy het aanvanklik gedink dit is die normale nasleep van die strawwe fietsrit, maar die simptome het vererger. Op pad huis toe het hy sy seun, Cade (19), gewaarsku dat hy vermoed hy kry ’n hartaanval. Cade het hom onmiddellik na die naaste hospitaal, Netcare Pinehaven, gehaas waar dokters bevestig het dat hy wel ’n hartaanval gehad het.

“Jy is besig om ’n hartaanval te kry, maar jy het vinnig hier gekom en ons sal alles doen om jou te stabiliseer,” het die noodarts volgens hom gesê.

Die fietsryer het intussen herstel en is terug by die huis, maar verdere behandeling, moontlik ’n omleidingsoperasie, wag nog. Hy sê hy is diep dankbaar teenoor sy gesin en vriende, en veral teenoor sy seun wie se vinnige optrede sy lewe kon red.

Lees die volledige plasing hier onder:

This is a story I never ever expected to tell. On Saturday, 6 September 2025, moments after crossing the finish line of my first gravel race, I suffered a heart attack.

I bet that took you by surprise! It certainly took me by surprise…

Friends, family members and long-time social media followers will agree that I am probably among the lowest risk of a heart attack considering my lifestyle. I have never smoked, I don’t drink (maybe 2-3 drinks in a month), I am not obese and I am not diabetic. Im 55 years old and have exercised consistently my whole life. I ride bicycles on average five times a week (10-12 hours a week) and I eat what is generally considered a healthy diet – mostly freshly prepared, non-processed meals with a balance of real-food protein, carbs and natural fats.

The 83km with 1000m of ascent gravel race had a fairly small field, so there were no bunches to shelter in. It was essentially an individual time trial and it did have me putting in a considerable effort based on my heart rate monitor’s data. I don’t normally ride hard enough to use energy gels, but I had two in the last 20km at this race to keep my energy levels up throughout. Both were caffeinated gels. As a regular coffee drinker (3-5 cups a day), I’m not unaccustomed to caffeine.

Anyway, after crossing the finish line (in 3 hours 43 minutes), I made my way to the refreshment table to grab a cup of Coke and was given my finisher medal.

As I started drinking the Coke, I felt short of breath. I didn’t think much of it. I figured I was adapting to easing off the constant effort for over 3hrs30min. I then felt a bit of tightness in my chest, on the left. No pain, just discomfort. I asked my son, Cade, who had finished about 25 minutes before me, to snap a post-race pic of me with my bike as I intended to write about my first gravel race experience.

“I’m not feeling good. I’m going to sit down for a bit,” I told him.

The discomfort and shortness of breath continued so I went to sit down on the grass. I couldn’t really get comfortable, so lay down for a bit. That didn’t help either. The creased feeling I normally have after a hard effort was there, but this felt different. Too different.

Prizegiving had started already and since Cade was third overall, we waited for his category, the last, to be called up. I got up and ready to snap a podium shot with my phone. While standing there, I felt like I needed to take off my undershirt and riding jersey which I thought were making me feel uncomfortable. I didn’t because it wouldn’t be long until we would be able to change at the car.

As we walked to the car, about 400m away, I glanced at my heart rate: 60bpm! Normally, after a big riding effort, my heart rate is elevated to over 100bpm for a good hour or two. I found this very strange. At the car I removed my shoes, socks, helmet, undershirt and riding jersey and put on a loose t-shirt and a pair of slops.

“I’m still not feeling good, Cade. Would you mind loading the bikes?” I said before sitting in the passenger seat. Within about five minutes, Cade started driving us home. We closed the windows as it was quite warm and Cade switched on the aircon. It was on full power. I was still feeling constant discomfort in my chest. A tightness but no pain. I also couldn’t find a comfortable position to sit in and kept moving around in my seat. Then I began to sweat profusely…

At this moment I realised that all of what I was experiencing was similar to what my neighbour, Greg, was experiencing when I drove him to the hospital. Sadly, Greg passed away and the cause of death was a heart attack.

“Cade, I think something is happening with my heart. I could be having a heart attack. Please take me straight to Olivedale Clinic,” I said.

Cade added Olivedale Clinic to Google Maps and it gave a 55 minute ETA. Olivedale Clinic is near our home and where we mostly go for ER treatments. As mountain bikers we know that hospital quite well. I had also spent a week there this past May recovering from crash injuries.

Cade started driving faster and I just kept feeling more uncomfortable. My heart rate was now 57bpm!

I started wondering if I might die. I didn’t want to die now. Cade was charging as safely as he could but the Saturday morning traffic, including a few large trucks, was making our going frustratingly slow.

I looked at the ETA: 35 minutes.

“I thought about dying again. Cade, let’s rather go to the NEAREST hospital now! Cade quickly searched and found that we were three minutes away from Netcare Pinehaven. He did a U-turn and not long after that we were at the ambulance entrance to the ER.

“Get a wheelchair,” I said. By now, even more consumed by the chest tightness, short breath, sweating and restlessness. Cade ran to the guy at the door.

“My Dad is having a heart attack! The guy ran to the car and asked me to walk to the ER doors. I wasn’t sure that I could, but it seemed the quickest way to get there. He helped me through the doors and onto an ER bed, calling for the on-duty ER doctor, who was there in seconds.

A few quick questions from the doctor while he and the nurse were hooking me up to the relevant monitors and then. The words from the doctor, “You are having a heart attack. But you got here quickly and we will do what we can to stabilise you now.”

The fact that five days later I am writing this means I obviously didn’t die. But it’s been a rather fascinating and somewhat scary experience undergoing tests and now facing the possibility of bypass surgery. I am now at home, feel fine and able to work quite normally. I will write the other parts to this unexpected tale over the next few days.

My family and close friends have been incredible and I would like to thank them for everything. Joanne was in Cape Town and immediately moved into remote solutionist mode, rushing to my side as soon as she was back in Joburg. Cade is 19 years old and he was amazing under the circumstances. I’m so proud to be his Dad.