HERRIMAN, Utah — A cyclist is continuing to recover in the hospital after he was found unresponsive in the middle of a Herriman road.
Police say a person called 911 around 10:45 a.m. on Thursday after seeing 53-year-old Darren Schmitt lying in the middle of Porter Rockwell Road at about 2250 West.
Doctors determined that the man went into cardiac arrest.
Kaden Schmitt, Darren's son, said his dad was riding to his office to pick up his keys that he left up there the day before.
"The doctor said he went and had a heart attack, went into cardiac arrest, and just fell on his bike," Kaden said.
He says his dad also sustained 12 fractured ribs in the accident.
"He was unresponsive, so we were just expecting the worst," Kaden said.
Darren was airlifted to the University of Utah Hospital.
Kaden describes his dad as a true family man, who is dedicated and devoted to his wife and four kids.
"The love he has for my mom, and he's just the most selfless guy ever," he said. "He'll give anything to make us happy, all these kids happy and everything."
His family has been right by Darren's bedside the past few days.
Kaden sent FOX 13 News several videos of his dad during his hospital stay.
One of those videos shows Kaden asking his dad if he's excited to see his grandson Arrow again soon.
"His eyes were closed and then he just smiled," Kaden said.
Smiling and a sense of humor are some things Darren hasn't lost during this tough time.
In another video, Darren joked about the neck brace he was wearing and even the scar on his nose from the accident.
As he now sets foot out on the road to recovery, Kaden says this all could have been much worse if his dad decided not to ride his bike to his job that morning.
"He always does his workout on his Peloton [exercise bike] every single morning," Kaden said. "He closes the doors and blasts music, so if he was on his Peloton that day, he possibly could have had a heart attack at home. No one was home, and no one would have seen him for who knows how long."
Kaden says his dad has been wanting to meet the off-duty officer who started CPR on him at the scene.
A GoFundMehas also been set up. Kaden says the goal is to get both that officer and all the health care workers who are helping Darren a gift at some point.
