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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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A Gresham-area man and longtime volunteer with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Unit died suddenly while on a training hike with the group at Larch Mountain on Saturday night, Oct. 17.
Don Gomez, 57, was participating in a nighttime trek on Trail 441, about a mile north of the Larch Mountain overlook, with about 50 other explorers, deputies and volunteers with the program. He experienced medical distress around 11 p.m. and, without warning, collapsed to the ground, according to Assistant Sheriff Dan Staton.
“It apparently caught everybody by surprise,” Staton said, noting that Gomez showed no indication of feeling anything but well. “He went down without any notice whatsoever.”
Emergency medical technicians and rescue unit explorers rushed to assist Gomez. A call was put out to fire and rescue personnel, who met the party as Gomez was carried to the trailhead. Personnel performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and used a heart-defibrillation device on Gomez before declaring him deceased.
Results from an autopsy Sunday, Oct. 25, indicated Gomez suffered from “significant” atherosclerotic heart disease, said Duane Bigoni, deputy Multnomah County medical examiner.
After the unplanned rescue attempt, the training group – which included high school students among more seasoned personnel – immediately decamped and transferred to the Sheriff’s Office Hansen Building on Glisan Street for grief counseling and a debriefing.
Sgt. Diane Olsen, rescue program coordinator, Chaplain Ed Stelle, volunteers with Trauma Intervention Programs and Deputies Mark Herron, Steve Dangler and Keith Bybee were on hand to provide assistance and support to the training group, Staton said.
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