Calistoga Bikeshop owner in Virginia ICU suffering from brain bleed
By Dave Stoneberg
Calistoga Bikeshop owner Brad Suhr is in critical condition suffering from a brain bleed in the intensive care unit at a regional hospital in Chesapeake, Virginia. Suhr, his wife, Sharon, and their three daughters were on the East Coast on vacation with family on the Outer Banks in North Carolina.
According to Facebook posts from his family, Suhr was airlifted from the Outer Banks to the hospital last Thursday after he was taken to an urgent care center with a “very bad headache.” The family, including Sharon, Bethany Harrison Suhr and Brad’s brother, Garrett, have asked for prayers.
Garrett posted the latest update: “The good news is that the docs say his recovery is going as expected/hoped. The bad news is that this means episodes of intense pain and feeling quite miserable.
“He’s still not out of the woods. He’s staying strong, but please pray that his spirit and grit stays strong through these episodes.”
On Monday afternoon, when asked about how people could help, Sharon responded: “At the moment the main way to help is by sending all of the positive energy and prayers Brad's way. In a week or so I might have more clarity on specific needs. Our kids are now with my family in Pennsylvania, and the guys are doing their best to keep the shop running as smoothly as possible. I feel blessed to have so much support.“
On Sunday, Garrett said he was able to talk with Brad, who shared a couple of smiles with him and the nurses. Garrett wrote on Facebook that his brother is “aware, thinking and fighting as hard as he can right now,” even though he’s in a lot of pain and the chance of mortality is still high.
“I hate seeing my brother go through this,” Garrett writes, “and am so thankful for God as He walks with him through it and is listening to all of our prayers.”
Doctors have yet to find the source of the brain bleed, and when they tried to get an MRI it was unsuccessful because Suhr couldn’t keep still because of the discomfort, Sharon wrote a day ago. Her husband was cleared to eat and drink, although he was only interested in ice chips.
On Monday afternoon, Rob Nelson, a salesperson at Calistoga Bikeshop, said the staff there “don’t know a whole lot” about Suhr’s condition, except for what they have read on Facebook.
“He’s OK for the time being,” Nelson said.
On Monday, Sharon posted the following on Facebook, along with a photo of Brad lying in a hospital bed: “Brad's overall good health and fitness are working to his advantage. But pain continues, and I'm told it will be getting worse as he enters the vasospasm stage. Risk of mortality remains. At this point an MRI is unlikely, but they hope to do another angiogram soon to see if they can find the source of the hemorrhage.
She continues, “Thank you for all of the love and encouragement. I see your notes and messages and am able to share them with Brad. Keep them coming. Your love is lifting me up, and I have a peace that can only come from above."
Brad Suhr was born in New Hampshire, raised in Virginia and arrived in Calistoga in 2007 after working in bicycle shops in Wisconsin, Florida, Colorado and Massachusetts. According to his biography on the Calistoga Bikeshop website, he competed in triathlon, duathlon, 12- and 24-hour events, adventure racing, running, cycling, mountain bike racing and cross-country ski events. He has spent the last two decades as a business owner, USA triathlon coach, massage therapist, bicycle fitter and spinning instructor.
In 2000 Suhr rode his bike from Sunset Beach, New Jersey, to Seattle, Washington, in 49 days, and according to a story in the Napa Valley Register, he was sore and tired when he arrived in Seattle, but “he knew what he wanted to do with the rest of his life – he would dedicate all of his efforts toward sharing the immense satisfaction and pleasure he’s gained by riding bikes.”
The Suhrs were married in 2006 and began looking for a permanent home where they could build their own business and raise a family. In an industry publication, Suhr found an ad advertising the sale of a small bike shop in Calistoga. Within a few months the Suhrs made their decision, procured financing and moved from Martha’s Vineyard across the country to purchase Calistoga’s only bike shop.
Dave Stoneberg is a journalist, who worked for the St. Helena Star from 2006 to 2020