SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Dominque Busto describes her older brother Ryan as an avid athlete, a loving family man and a passionate helicopter maintenance engineer.
“He’s like an amazing, amazing human, and I don’t just say that because he’s my brother,” Busto said.
At the start of March, Ryan Busto joined others from Vancouver, Canada, for a six-day cycling training camp in Oceanside. They biked more than 62 miles a day.
One of his companions, Tara Rosenberg, told ABC 10News he started feeling under the weather right before the trip ended. Eventually, the camp’s coach spoke to him.
“He confided in with her about his wound. We were not aware that he had a saddle sore,” Rosenberg said.
Rosenberg said this is common for cyclists to get with repeated movements.
Not knowing Busto had a saddle sore, Rosenberg said the group got into a hot tub after a day of riding.
“We suspect that because, you know, going in a hot tub is not good for that type of thing; that could’ve turned it into flesh-eating disease,” Rosenberg said.
Hearing of other riders having issues with this in the past, the coach rushed Busto to a nearby clinic and then sent him to the hospital, according to Rosenberg.
“They assessed the wound and realized that he would need immediate surgery [and] that he did have flesh-eating disease. It was in his bloodstream,” Rosenberg said.
Last Saturday night, Busto’s sister said Busto called his wife about what was happening.
His family later found out he was in the ICU, and then another horrifying update.
“We get another call saying that his heart function had dropped down to 10%. And, we were just throwing things in a carry-on suitcase, booking flights,” Busto said. “Waking up my parents to that news- it’s just not; not anything I would wish on any family.”
All the while fear was settling in.
“Having to come down to San Diego and not knowing what was going to go on. Were we going to come down to here just find a lifeless body or was he going to pull through? We didn’t know what we were going to find,” Busto said.
After being on a life support system called ECMO, different procedures, and various medications, Busto is making small steps toward recovery. His sister told ABC 10News that doctors had found the cause of the infection and are treating it.
“We are just so beyond grateful that, you know, when the doctors started talking about having a long road ahead, we’re just like we’re so grateful that they’re talking about a road ahead,” Busto said.
His family asks for any prayers for Busto’s recovery and thanks all who helped him once this trip took a tragic turn.
Those who know and love Ryan want everyone to speak up if anything pops up that’s ailing them.
“If you have a small scrape, if you have a saddle sore and you’re feeling, you know, the beginnings of a flu coming on, that is a major sign. Get yourself checked. Get yourself checked so it doesn’t get to the point that Ryan’s at,” Busto said.
Rosenberg has organized a GoFundMe for Busto and his family for medical expenses which you can find here.
