Riding the Ups & Downs of a Life & Death Diagnosis

Thomas Johansen has been living a drama of life and death since 2012 when he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. He has spent the ensuing years riding the ups and downs of the realities of this disease, including being told he needed a new heart.

This week, Thomas will experience a different kind of ride. He will be the first heart transplant patient to undertake the challenge of the AIDS/LifeCycle Bike Ride from June 2 – June 8. According to his doctors at UCLA, Thomas will be the first person who has undergone a heart transplant to do this 545 mile bicycle ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

Thomas says he is riding “To inspire others that we can’t let challenges restrict us, but rather to view them as speed bumps, and an invitation to do more.”

The ride was founded in 1994 to support the HIV and AIDS-related services of the Los Angeles LGBT Center and San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Since then, riders and donors have raised more than $300 million for people living with HIV and AIDS.

For Thomas, his heart transplant was just one part of his tumultuous journey. After receiving his new heart in 2017, the following five years of recuperation also entailed highs and lows. He was healthy enough in 2022 that he was on a ten-mile hike with his nephews in Yosemite when received a phone call from his medical team at UCLA informing him that his body was rejecting the heart. That’s when Thomas decided to sign up for the AIDS/LifeCycle Ride, both as a way to support the cause, and as a challenge to help motivate him to keep moving forward with his healing journey.

He wasn’t able to join the ride as planned in 2023, but this year he is set to do so. In addition, Thomas is riding in memory of his father, who passed away just this week. When I asked Thomas how our readers can help support his efforts, he said that while he has almost reached double his personal goal of fundraising, “I don’t need the donations per se but the AIDS Foundation sure does.” Donations can be made at this link. Thomas plans to post on instagram during the ride, and give us a report of his experience afterwards.

The AIDS/LifeCycle Ride route is scheduled to stop by Leadbetter Beach on Friday, June 7th for lunch. The public is welcome to show their support.

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