Allentown’s Patriots Park has seen a lot of great moments in its 70-plus years of hosting softball games in South Allentown.
But while it has been the scene of many clutch moments such as game-winning home runs, outstanding catches and throws and key strikeouts, perhaps nothing compared to the heroism on display during an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference softball game between Allentown Central Catholic and Dieruff on Wednesday night.
According to an email sent to all District 11 umpires by longtime area official and assignor Jim Corpora, as the bottom of the fourth inning was about to begin, base umpire Mark Weil collapsed on the field, having suffered a heart attack.
Dieruff’s certified athletic trainer Danielle Vogt, who is employed by the St. Luke’s University Health Network, immediately responded to the situation as did an ambulance and paramedic, in quick order. A defibrillator was used at the scene by the paramedics.
“It is clear his life was saved by the Dieruff trainer and the medical care he received at the game,” Corpora said. “Mark was taken to Lehigh Valley Cedar Crest Hospital and while in the IC unit, it appears that Mark will be OK. Please keep him in your prayers and warmest thoughts.”
Dieruff athletic director David Stoudt was at the Dieruff-ACCHS baseball game at Andre Reed Park when he got a call about what was happening at Pates Park.
“I got there within 15 minutes and they just got him in the ambulance,” Stoudt said. “I can’t say enough about the people who stepped up and helped until EMS got there.”
In addition to Vogt, Itzia Boulogne, Dieruff’s safety officer, reacted to the situation as well as Dieruff softball coach Brianna Knipe. A parent, Alyssa Billy, who is a registered Lehigh Valley Health Network nurse, came out of the stands to assist with CPR.
Meanwhile, both teams participated in a prayer circle.
“It was crazy and it still hasn’t really hit me yet,” said Knipe, who was back at Pates Park for another game on Thursday. “We had a meeting with our girls to talk it over and make sure they are all OK. It took some time for it to hit all of us how serious it was. A lot of things happened so quickly and I feel like 30 seconds actually felt more like 40 minutes. I was the first person out there to him and at first you want to see if he was OK, which he obviously wasn’t. I saw him fall, so obviously you knew something wasn’t right.”
Then the next step was to get the players off the field.
Dieruff softball coach Brianna Knipe was the first to reach umpire Mark Weil after he collapsed on the infield dirt on Wednesday during a Dieruff-Allentown Central Catholic softball game. Thanks to Knipe, trainer Danielle Vogt and others, Weil is on his way to recovery and many consider Vogt, Knipe and others to be heroes. (Keith Groller)
“We made the girls go back behind the bleachers, so they didn’t have to witness anything,” Knipe said. “We got all of their equipment out of the playing area, so they didn’t have to go back out there. How we all managed to stay calm through all of that just blows my mind. We followed a chain of command and we had someone contact [Stoudt] while we were trying to take care of him and the girls.”
Vogt, who is a Pocono Mountain East and Lock Haven graduate, was limited in what she could say about the incident.
When asked if she thought she was a hero, she shook her head no.
“I was just given an opportunity to do my job,” she said. “To be there when someone needs you … it’s great.”
The only thing she did stress was the importance of knowing how to deliver CPR.
“It’s a good opportunity for everyone to be CPR-certified, if they’re able to get certified,” she said. “You never know when you’re going to be in that kind of situation. So, if you have the opportunity to get certified, it would be awesome if you did it because you just never know when a situation like this is going to come up. There are definitely enough people around to get you certified.”
A Facebook post by AFD [Allentown Fire Department] Strong, said, “Quick action by the athletic trainer and coaches on the scene proved critical, as CPR was immediately initiated. Their swift response helped stabilize the situation until emergency responders from AEMS, AFD and APD arrived. After being worked on by emergency responders, the umpire regained consciousness and was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. An outstanding job by everyone involved!”
Corpora said he spoke with Weil, who is approaching his 60th birthday, late Wednesday and said he was thankful of the immediate help he received.
“There’s no question the Dieruff trainer saved his life,” Corpora said. “Mark said he went out to his car between innings to get a jacket and then felt a pain in this left arm and felt the sweats and the next thing he knew he was waking up in the hospital. Had this happened anywhere else except where medical people could get to him immediately, he probably would no longer be with us. It was that close, that scary.”
Players on both teams were upset by what had transpired and the game was immediately called. Central was leading 13-1 at the time.
When longtime umpire Larry Parry showed up at Pates Park to work Dieruff’s game against East Stroudsburg South, the first thing he did was give Knipe a hug for what she did to help Weil, whom he called a longtime friend.
He visited Weil in the hospital before coming to the game and said he was doing as well as could be expected but had a bruised face from his fall on the dirt infield.
“This was a really good team effort to save a life and it’s a life lesson for our girls,” Knipe said. “I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else there because I would put my own life in the hands of the people who were there. I can’t give them enough credit.”
This is the second time in recent weeks that a major health scare unfolded at an Allentown sporting event.
On Feb. 24 during a District 11 tournament doubleheader at Allen High School’s Sewards Gym, a basketball fan collapsed in the gym lobby of an apparent heart attack.
Allentown and ASD personnel quickly responded, and the fan’s life was saved and he was back home within a few days.
The heroes that night included Allentown paramedics Andre Harris, Stacy Vibbert and Ryan Trexler, LVHN emergency room Dr. Andrew Miller, Allentown police officer TC Cunningham and Allen’s security team of Lakera Kelly, Rich Perkins, Jon Delacruz and Brent Edwards. Engine 10 of the Allentown Fire Department also responded.
A few nights later in between games of a championship doubleheader, Allen athletic director Randy Atiyeh held a brief ceremony to salute those first-responders who assisted in saving the life of the basketball fan.
The crowd inside Sewards Gym gave the group a standing ovation.