This WKRP Montrose episode was brought to you by:
IN THIS EPISODE
The Blood Pressure Reality Check
- 50% of American adults have high blood pressure—and 20% don't even know it because hypertension has zero symptoms
- Why home blood pressure monitoring is more accurate than your doctor's office (and why checking twice matters)
- The simple 3-minute routine that could save your life: how to measure correctly and what those numbers actually mean
IN THIS EPISODE:
From Montrose Outdoor Culture to Papua New Guinea Humanitarian Work
- Gary Bustin's 24-year love affair with Montrose: why summer here ranks unbeatable for outdoor recreation.
- From Samaritan Aviation to the Papua New Guinea Tribal Foundation—how one Montrose resident has contributed $25 million in medical supplies to a nation of 12 million.
- Why PNG's sorcery-accusation violence (500-700 cases yearly) matters, and how legislation Gary helped enact is actually saving lives.
The Story:
Dr. Katie Stevens delivered an uncomfortable truth on Friday: half of all Americans have high blood pressure. Only 1 in 4 have it treated. Most don't feel sick—which is the problem. Hypertension kills silently, causing strokes, heart attacks, kidney disease, dementia. And the solution? Sit quietly for three minutes, put a cuff on your arm at home, and write down the number.
Then Gary Bustin proved why that commitment to health matters at every scale.
Gary has lived in Montrose for 24 years. He ranks the summers here unbeatable—motorcycle racing, kayaking, rafting, hiking, mountain biking. But his real work happens elsewhere. Born and raised in Papua New Guinea (850 languages, 12 million people), Gary founded Samaritan Aviation to deliver medical flights to remote villages. Then he created the Papua New Guinea Tribal Foundation to address what kills quietly in PNG: gender-based violence affecting 70% of women, and sorcery-accusation violence (modern witch trials) with 500-700 cases yearly.
The foundation has contributed $25 million in medical supplies through partnerships with Children's Hospital Colorado and Project Cure. They've shaped PNG's criminal code to prosecute sorcery accusers. They brought PNG's First Lady to Colorado for historic international fundraising. All from a small mountain town where Gary fell in love with the area and decided to build something that matters.
Gary's story is about action across continents. Dr. Stevens's message is about awareness in your own home. Together, they're a reminder: knowing your blood pressure is the first step. Acting on it—whether that's taking medication, lifestyle changes, or deciding like Gary to dedicate yourself to solving someone else's health crisis—is the part that saves lives.
The one thing listeners will take away: Small actions compound into massive impact. Check your blood pressure. Tell someone else to do the same. Then decide what you're going to build.
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Huge Thank You to Our Underwriters
