INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — He was a man who in the worst of times could make anyone laugh. He treasured the brotherhood at the firehouses. And, not long before Assistant Fire Chief Brian Nolan died of cardiac arrest last year, he vowed that a back problem would no longer sideline him from a good old bike race.
So it’s fitting that a firefighter and a doctor – both avid cyclists and long-time friends of Nolan – have teamed up to bring back the Tour de Vero in Nolan’s honor this year.
The Tour de Vero made its debut in 2007 when 250 riders took to the streets and raised more than $2,000 for need-based college scholarships. Then, the tour stopped.
This past winter islander and neurologist Dr. Jim Shafer approached Indian River County firefighter John O’Conner about bringing back the tour.
The answer was an emphatic yes; Stacey Zedek also said yes.
Zedek has never been in a road race before and has been steadily training for the Oct. 9 event.
She signed up for the 54-mile course that begins and ends on the island’s River House on Acacia Road.
“I have no idea what I am getting myself into, but I know it will be fun,” she said.
Cyclists can choose between a 34-, 54- and 100-mile course, all of which run along the Indian River Lagoon Scenic Highway.
The day will start with a tribute to Nolan.
“I really wish he could be there to do it with us,” said Zedek, a paramedic/firefighter with Indian River County. “I know he would have so much fun with it. But I also he will be there in spirit with us.”
Nolan, a third generation firefighter, spent 27 years with the Indian River Shores Fire Department before joining the county’s fire department as an assistant chief in 2006.
The number of riders for the Tour de Vero is expected to swell as many more firefighters and paramedics like Zedek join the race.
Proceeds this year will go to the Vero Beach Fire Fighters’ Association, a local non-profit that funds the Indian River County Burn Fund, scholarships, and fairground improvements among other charitable organizations.
Nolan died in August 2010 of coronary arterial disease, the most common form of heart disease.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. for both men and women.
Because he was so physically fit, Nolan’s death at the age of 55 stunned the island community and his friends throughout the county.
“He was one of the best in the region and especially in our little town of Vero” said Shafer of Nolan’s cycling days.
The Tour de Vero will not only honor Nolan, it is meant to bring awareness to his disease.
“We are not immune to it,” Shafer said. “It doesn’t discriminate against age or gender.”
The disease occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries. The buildup can cause angina, chest pain or discomfort because the heart muscle is not getting enough blood.
Over time, coronary arterial disease can weaken the heart, which can lead to failure.
For many, the first sign of the disease is a heart attack.
Nolan suffered a heart attack while in a store in Orlando. He died early the next morning at a hospital.
Just days earlier, Nolan experienced some symptoms – possibly warning signs, Shafer said.
“If you think something is happening, get help. Don’t blow it off,” Shafer said.
Shafer hopes that participants and spectators in the Tour de Vero will take Nolan’s sudden death to heart.
“If we can get one person to get their cholesterol checked or their blood pressure checked, well, it will be a worthy event.”
Deadline to register for the Tour de Vero is Oct. 6.
Several area businesses are main sponsors of the event including Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Vero Beach Orthopedics/Vero Neurology, Signs by Tomorrow, Vero Radiology, Vero Velo Bicycle Club, Vero Beach Firefighter’s Association, USA Cycling and Bicycle Sport.
To register go to: http://www.active.com/cycling/vero-beach-fl/tour-de-vero-2011.
For further information contact John O’Connor at velosport@bellsouth.net or call (772) 473-7741.