Erie chiropractor Steve Krauza set off Friday morning on a 140‑mile bike ride to Pittsburgh, one year after surviving a stroke at age 47. The long‑distance ride, which was postponed for more than a month due to weather, is Krauza’s way of thanking the medical teams at UPMC Hamot and UPMC Mercy who helped save his life.
Krauza departed from UPMC Hamot at sunrise, surrounded by family, friends and hospital staff cheering him on. The avid cyclist said the moment felt surreal, especially considering where he was one year ago.
He first realized something was wrong while doing his morning push‑ups. Within minutes, he woke his wife and told her he needed to get to the emergency room…