Allentown\u2019s Patriots Park has seen a lot of great moments in its 70-plus years of hosting softball games in South Allentown.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Dieruff\u2019s certified athletic trainer Danielle Vogt, who is employed by the St. Luke\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is clear his life was saved by the Dieruff trainer and the medical care he received at the game,\u201d Corpora said. \u201cMark 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got there within 15 minutes and they just got him in the ambulance,\u201d Stoudt said. \u201cI can\u2019t say enough about the people who stepped up and helped until EMS got there.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to Vogt, Itzia Boulogne, Dieruff\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, both teams participated in a prayer circle.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was crazy and it still hasn\u2019t really hit me yet,\u201d said Knipe, who was back at Pates Park for another game on Thursday. \u201cWe 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\u2019t. I saw him fall, so obviously you knew something wasn\u2019t right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then the next step was to get the players off the field.<\/p>\n
![\"Dieruff](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TMC-L-BriannaKnipe-01-1.jpg\")
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)<\/p>\n
\u201cWe made the girls go back behind the bleachers, so they didn\u2019t have to witness anything,\u201d Knipe said. \u201cWe got all of their equipment out of the playing area, so they didn\u2019t 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vogt, who is a Pocono Mountain East and Lock Haven graduate, was limited in what she could say about the incident.<\/p>\n
When asked if she thought she was a hero, she shook her head no.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was just given an opportunity to do my job,\u201d she said. \u201cTo be there when someone needs you \u2026 it\u2019s great.\u201d<\/p>\n
The only thing she did stress was the importance of knowing how to deliver CPR.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a good opportunity for everyone to be CPR-certified, if they\u2019re able to get certified,\u201d she said. \u201cYou never know when you\u2019re 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Facebook post by AFD [Allentown Fire Department] Strong, said, \u201cQuick 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!\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no question the Dieruff trainer saved his life,\u201d Corpora said. \u201cMark 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Players on both teams were upset by what had transpired and the game was immediately called. Central was leading 13-1 at the time.<\/p>\n
When longtime umpire Larry Parry showed up at Pates Park to work Dieruff\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was a really good team effort to save a life and it\u2019s a life lesson for our girls,\u201d Knipe said. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t have wanted anyone else there because I would put my own life in the hands of the people who were there. I can\u2019t give them enough credit.\u201d<\/p>\n
This is the second time in recent weeks that a major health scare unfolded at an Allentown sporting event.<\/p>\n
On Feb. 24 during a District 11 tournament doubleheader at Allen High School\u2019s Sewards Gym, a basketball fan collapsed in the gym lobby of an apparent heart attack.<\/p>\n
Allentown and ASD personnel quickly responded, and the fan\u2019s life was saved and he was back home within a few days.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s security team of Lakera Kelly, Rich Perkins, Jon Delacruz and Brent Edwards. Engine 10 of the Allentown Fire Department also responded.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The crowd inside Sewards Gym gave the group a standing ovation.<\/p>\n
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