Hevener is feeling ‘so good’ after heart attack, getting ready for another El Tour

Jeff Hevener said, “cycling saved his life.”

There’s no doubt in that – and it continues to play a big part as he moves forward in life, one that has seen some crazy times lately given the circumstances. In fact, serendipity saved it, too.

He called it “kind of a funny story” but for all intense and purposes it’s not funny, but fortunate.

Two years ago, a friend of his – Jeremy – convinced Hevener to get a mountain bike all the while needing to get a shoulder replaced. Still, they planned to ride the annual Willcox Flyer in late summer. After the ride he was to go to Oregon to get his mother-in-law, who was in hospice. Her dying wish was to live in Arizona in her final weeks, months.

The plan was for Jeff to get her after Willcox.

But after continuing to feel discomfort in his chest – and shoulder – a friend checked it out through an EKG.

The result “was a little bit weird” so it was suggested he should to the hospital for further evaluation.

“Thank God he said that because I’m not one to go to the hospital,” Jeff said. “The way he put it was, I was doing it for him to feel better about it.”

So, he did it.

Blood tests – as well as others – were taken and … “the nurse said ‘we’re going to have to admit you.”

He explained that could not happen because he had to be in Oregon the next day to get his mom-in-law.

Hospital officials had other plans. He wasn’t going anywhere.

Then the words came: ‘you’re having a heart attack and it’s pretty serious.”

“My mind was blown because there was no way I was having a heart attack,” Jeff said.

The numbers showed he was going into cardiac arrest and had been headed in that direction, given he was having trouble with his shoulder and chest area days before.

He had 100 percent blockage in his artery.

They said, “had I been able to get on the plane I would not have survived the flight. I had no idea because I thought all I had was a pulled muscle in my chest. Turns out I had been having a heart attack for three days.”

He was 47 at the time.

There was surgery. A stint was placed and he was able to take it easy for a couple of weeks.

“But the one thing I wanted to do was get on my bike,” he said. “The shoulder replacement had to wait (until June 25 the next year).”

He had to wait a year – August 17 2023 was the date of his heart attack and a year later – to get back on the bike to get ready for the ride he had been preparing for Willcox.

“It felt fulfilling,” he said. “Cycling has reinvigorated me.”

The adrenaline kicked in and he wanted more. He did the Nogales ride and then El Tour de Tucson.

“I wanted to ramp myself up for El Tour,” he said. “That was my ultimate goal.”

He rode the 62-miler “and it was a blast.”

“My goal is to do the 100-miles this year,” he said. “I’ve been training my butt off. I’m going to commit myself to it.”

He “absolutely” feels grateful to be able to be able to ride, given his circumstances. Cycling has now become his obsession.

“I was knocking on death’s door,” he said. “I don’t take anything for granted anymore. My kids inspire me. They see me as not letting the heart attack define who I am. During last year’s El Tour I had an app where the kids could track where I was on the course. They cheered me on as well as their friends. I’d like to think I inspired them, too.”

In essence, he already had, given he is 5-foot-11, 210 pounds … down from 295 pounds. He’s hoping to get to 200 pounds before El Tour.

He was about 260 when the heart attack came.

How does he feel? “So good,” he said.

He and Jeremy will ride for a team called – USMES (United States Military Endurance Sports).

That’s not the end of the story. His mother-in-law eventually made it to Tucson via friends and family.

She was moved into her place on August 24 (a week after the heart attack) and she passed away that night.”

She lived how she wanted to and realized her wish of making it to Arizona.

“She was able to see some of the things down here, see a thunderstorm, see our dogs,” Jeff said. “Everyone was brought together by the heart attack. Not everyone would have been able to be here to see her pass without the heart attack.