How to Save a Life

Right place. Right time. Words that surface if you’re trying to be simplistic on how Don Creek’s life was saved Nov. 5 in The Villages. In reality, his survival hinged on the leadership of The Villages Competitive Pickleball Club’s long ago foresight for a detailed plan for unexpected medical emergencies.

It assigns volunteers to specific duties, in duplicate, such as who will do CPR, who will call 911, who secures an AED and who leads EMS crews in. Before any pickleball is played, it's put in place each time, designed to have a small army of rescuers identified and ready. Creek is living proof it works. “I was playing doubles tennis (at Ezell Recreation) and had just finished, it wasn’t very hot,” Creek recalled. “One of our brand-new players asked if anyone wanted to play singles and I said I would.” That’s where his recall stops before the gap when his wife, Marilyn, arrives at the hospital later. His bystander rescuers provide the anatomy of his cardiac arrest and his return to a beating heart.

Dialed 911

As told by John Williams, the relative newcomer who asked Creek to play singles tennis and who once learned CPR as a high school tennis coach.

“I asked him if he wanted to hit the ball around, do some volleys, and he said ‘no, let’s go straight into a game, keep points,’ so we did ...

We were almost done with the set. He was serving. I remember I returned his forehand, then returned his backhand. He was running forward to get it, but then he bent over, and then he sat down. It’s like his brain was working then, like he knew something was happening, which he doesn’t remember, but next ... he just collapsed onto the ground. I said, ‘Don, Don, you okay?’ He didn’t move. I ran to get my phone to call 911 and yelled for help.

There was some exercise people (at the outdoor equipment). I think one of them heard me and she got the pickleballers attention.

I did some CPR. I wasn’t very good. Then four of those pickleball players came running up, two on each side. It was a real teamwork effort from them.”

Performs CPR

As told by Lesa Mariner, competitive pickleball club member, who had performed CPR in a hospital setting numerous times in her career and twice more since arriving in The Villages three years ago.

CPR is invaluable. This gentleman was not in good shape when we got to him. God had a great plan for him that put him there at that moment, that put us there. (CPR) benefits everyone and it’s so easy to do these days. I would encourage everyone to take the class.

We did CPR probably a good 10 to 15 minutes on Don. Steve delivered a shock from the AED and we got him back. It’s an amazing thing to be able to help a human life to be able to continue a fulfilled and amazing life.

This was the third time I’ve performed CPR here, twice with a positive outcome and once without a positive outcome, but that one was a little different. My husband, who’s also has a health care background and I saved a neighbor’s son.

We’ve only been in this pickleball group for 6 months. We’ve done other pickleball groups that don’t have (medical protocols) in place, so I am really glad this group does. Steve (Walls) asked who could do CPR (before starting their morning play) and I said I could that day.

Used His Own AED

As told by Steve Walls, lead for competitive pickleball club, who carries his own AED on his golf cart throughout The Villages.

Yes, I have my own AED. I teach, I’m all over The Villages, and I had wrestled with (the purchase decision) for about four months because everyone here, including me, are the right age for a cardiac arrest.

I bought it and within three weeks I needed it.

I think we shocked Don twice to get him back. He was gone when I got to him. Lesa was doing compressions, and we had two people going inside Ezell to get the AED, but I was able to run and get mine faster.

I almost skipped that day, almost didn’t go, but then I decided to head off for the courts. If I didn’t go, we wouldn’t have that AED as quick.

We (competitive pickleball club) have five things we designate each day. I always assign two people to do (each role), because I figure what if I’m the person who needs the AED and I was supposed to be the one getting the AED?

Believe it or not, I designed and built haunted houses before I moved here. I’ve lived here for three years, a year later I took a CPR and AED class and the next year did it again, provided by The Villages Public Safety Department.

You hope you never have to use (an AED), but you want it. It’s kind like a seat belt, you hope you don’t need it, but it’s always good to have on.

A Survivor's Message

As told by Don Creek, who learned details after surviving a cardiac arrest on Nov. 5, had a internal defibrillator installed, and is back to playing tennis.

Marilyn heard the the ambulance. I’m never late coming home. That day I was. That thought went through her head. An EMT, using my phone, found her number and called her. He didn’t say exactly what happened, just that I went down and was being taken to the Leesburg hospital. She grabbed her purse and went out the door. When she got to the hospital, she was told ‘Well basically, he died on the tennis court,’ but was revived.

I don’t remember any of it, but I was told my lips were already turned blue. I was gone. John was screaming bloody murder to get anyone’s attention, but you know how noisy those pickleball courts can be. Fortunately, a woman walking by heard him and ran to get help.

(The Villages Competitive Pickleball Club) is so organized, they got two people designated to get an AED, two people to start CPR and two to run to greet the ambulance. Before they start pickleball, they go over their emergency protocol.

(Steve) told me he had to deliver two shocks, the first didn’t work. He said he about died when it didn’t work, but the second one did. It brought me back.

For whatever reason, my heart just stopped. I didn’t have a heart attack. I’m doing fine. I had a defibrillator installed as a precaution, but I’m back to playing tennis and pickleball.

I think that (cardiac arrest survival) number could go up if people had some type of protocol in place. Groups and activities in The Villages need to ask themselves ‘Do we have a plan in place if someone goes down?’ I’m part of a national tennis group, I shared my story there on how I went down. I wish the tennis groups had a plan in place like these pickleballers. What they did — it was nothing hard.

Don’t just come here and learn CPR, if you’re in a specific group, have a plan. If that conversation happened sometime, it would help.