In 2019, Roaring Fork Valley resident Pete Welles had a near-death experience—one that, in his view, ultimately saved his life.

Even at 77, Pete stayed active year-round, cross-country skiing in the winter and cycling in the warmer months. But on June 1, a routine bike ride along the Rio Grande Trail changed everything.

One moment he was cycling; the next, he was on the ground—alert, but unable to get up. A bystander called 911, and EMTs took him to Valley View, where X-rays showed he had shattered his pelvis and would require trauma surgery at Denver Health. After a three-hour ambulance ride, Pete underwent a five-hour pelvic reconstruction.

The accident was only the beginning.

While Pete recovered in the intensive care unit after the surgery, he recalls his daughter asking how he was feeling. The next moment, he flatlined.

A cardiology care team arrived within seconds and performed emergency surgery to implant a pacemaker and stabilize his heartbeat.

After returning home on June 10, Pete was transferred to Heritage Park Care Center in Carbondale for his recovery. He began follow-up care at Valley View with Interventional Cardiologist Frank Laws, MD,FACC, of the Heart & Vascular Center and Pulmonologist Suresh M. Khilnani, MD, of the Lung Center. Based on his condition, the doctors suspected his heart rhythm issues weren’t solely caused by the crash, but by undiagnosed sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a common but serious condition in which breathing is repeatedly disrupted during sleep, either due to a blockage of the airway or because the brain fails to send signals to the breathing muscles. These pauses can happen dozens of times per hour during sleep without the person ever realizing it.

In Colorado, sleep apnea can be even more severe because higher elevation means less oxygen in the air.

At Dr. Laws’ and Dr. Khilnani’s recommendation, Pete was referred to the Valley View Sleep Medicine Center for a sleep study. Sleep studies are overnight tests that monitor sleeping patterns, oxygen levels and other body functions to diagnose sleep disorders.

The results were clear: Pete experienced 25 to 30 breathing pauses per hour during his sleep study. For comparison, the threshold for sleep apnea begins at five breathing pauses per hour; being above that is not a healthy sign.

Snoring or waking up gasping for air isn’t harmless­—it’s often a warning sign. By repeatedly cutting off oxygen, sleep apnea triggers a stress response that can cause serious damage to the body’s organs. In Pete’s case, it was his heart and kidneys.

Over time, that lack of oxygen damaged the electrical system of Pete’s heart, leading to dangerous rhythm problems that ultimately caused his heart to stop. The condition also contributed to the loss of roughly one-third of his kidney function.

Ironically, he considers his bike accident a blessing.

“That crash saved my life,” he says. “If it hadn’t happened, we might never have found the underlying problem. I’m incredibly lucky.”

Pete was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea and prescribed a BiPAP machine, a device that delivers a gentle stream of air through a mask to ensure proper breathing during sleep. The results were dramatic, reducing his average nighttime breathing pauses to fewer than one per hour.

Today, Pete is back to doing what he loves, biking 3,000 miles and cross-country skiing 200 miles every year. He’s an advocate for sleep apnea awareness, urging everyone to learn the symptoms and consider a sleep study if they—or their sleeping partner—notice warning signs.

His message is clear: sleep apnea can be deadly, but diagnosis and treatment can be life-saving.

For Pete, that message is especially important in the Roaring Fork Valley, where many people pride themselves on staying active and healthy. His experience taught him that fitness should not be mistaken for immunity from sleep apnea.

Pete credits his diagnosis and recovery to the coordinated, watchful care among Valley View’s cardiology, pulmonary and sleep medicine teams.

“Valley View has been extraordinary in taking care of me,” he says.

Don’t Miss the Warning Signs of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed, even in people who feel healthy and are active. A sleep study is a simple, painless overnight test that can detect sleep disorders before they lead to serious health problems.

Valley View is the only sleep center in the region to offer high altitude studies for people who live at or above 7,000 feet.

Talk with your primary care provider about a sleep study if you:

• Snore regularly
• Wake up gasping for air
• Feel tired after a full night’s sleep
• Have morning headaches
• Live at altitude and have concerns about your sleep or breathing

To learn more, visit Valley View Sleep Medicine Center.