Posted on a club message board (names edited out). I was not the author. Having survived a heart attack at age 42, and having had multiple stents since (hereditary high cholesterol issues) I would never even consider the AOMM ride!

I will NEVER, EVER forget this ride!
This was the start of a beautiful but very challenging training ride for the Assault on Mount Mitchell 2019
About one-third of the way through the ride after climbing from Inman, SC to Saluda, NC via a challenging climb on Holbert Cove rd I called my wife from Saluda and told her I did not think I could finish.
She offered to pick my up but I insisted it was just a bad day and I needed to push myself. After getting my friends to wait on me to catch my breath we descended down to Tryon, NC and then proceeded to climb Hogback Mountain. At the top of Hogback I could hardly breathe. Well, I knew I was headed downhill into Landrum, SC so I thought all would be good.
Coming down 176 into Landrum doing 24+ mph the road started to blur. I was hoping not to crash but had no easy way to stop with traffic behind.
Luckily, my friends XXX and YYY talked me down the road keeping me on the right of the yellow line until we could pull over safely. I laid on the sidewalk in the gas station trying to get my breath. It was there I stopped...
Little did I know that I had a 98% blockage going into the right side of my heart and I was having a heart attack.
Thankfully, I was strong enough to pull through it and get the blockage removed. I love cycling but more importantly I love my family and friends.
Moral of the story:
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.... It is OK to STOP.
I know we all push ourselves but when something seems off it is ok to call it. I should have stopped in Saluda 15 miles earlier and before climbing Hogback. It almost cost me.