On or around October 2024, I learned that a pickleball player passed away due to a heart attack at Long Kill Park in Clifton Park NY. I discovered that that player was the brother of Barbara Shields – a pickleball player at the Y, Long Kill, and other parks around Clifton Park.
Considering my own heart condition and the fact that I play with many middle-aged and older pickleball players, I wanted to ensure that nothing similar happens to any of you. Coincidentally, I own a website called defibrillators.com, and I decided to put it to use to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
I reached out to Barbara, and below is our chat conversation.
Shlomo:
Hi Barbara. Very sorry to hear about the passing of your brother. I know most of the players, and I just can’t put his image to the name. Would you mind sharing with me his picture? You may text it to my cell 516-314-5600. Thank you. Shlomo.
Barb:
Hi, Shlomo. My brother was from LI and this happened when he was visiting me. I have played with you at the Y but it has been awhile. I froze my membership for the summer because I play with the Colonie Pickleball Club all summer. I have been wanting to come play at Veterans all summer and hope to soon. I play at Faith Baptist too and plan on going back to it this week. I needed time away from it. I see how much you do organizing things and appreciate that. Hope to meet you again soon at Veterans or the Y. Thanks for your concern. Barb
Shlomo:
Just wondering, did he have a heart condition?
I do. I am in AFIB 100% of the time, but I don’t feel it.
There is a defibrillator already in that (locked) small shed near the bathroom (in veterans park). I did ask one of the guys who plays softball there to give me the code to the locked shed just in case we will need, but he did not feel comfortable Sharing the code with me. So I asked the town for the code, and instead, they put a new defibrillator right by the bathroom.
Where in Long Island your brother was from?, my wife & I moved to Clifton Park 3 years ago.
Barb:
So you moved here from LI? What town? I grew up in Uniondale. When the two youngest were in high school my parents moved to East Rockaway and my sister is still there. My brother Jim was living in Islip.
Jim had high cholesterol but we don’t think he was on a statin. I did find blood pressure meds when I packed up his things. Autopsy showed it was the widow maker artery and that he previously had several heart attacks. Whether they were silent or not we don’t know. Or maybe he ignored symptoms. Ironically, he was an angiogram technician and worked alongside cardiologists for over 30 years.
The five of us siblings are now getting checked out. I had a stress test yesterday and have some abnormal results and will see my cardio next week.
Sorry to hear you are in Afib. Have they suggested an ablation? My sister had a successful one.
I’m so glad you got the defibrillator where it can be accessed. My husband is very involved in the softball league there and I know they had one.
Shlomo:
We lived in Great Neck for 40 years. Still own a house there which we’re in a process of selling.
Yes, ablation was SOFTLY recommended, but not a must.
Barb:
Hope your home sale goes well. Great Neck is such a nice town.
Glad you are doing ok without having the ablation. I had a cardio workup last week and there are some abnormal findings. I will see my cardio on Wednesday and will see what he says. So, I am waiting to get back on the court again.
Shlomo:
Hey Barbara, the story of your brother (maybe because of my afib condition) really affected me. I would like to tell other pickleball groups to ask their town supervisor, to donate defibrillators to their pickleball courts.
About 12 years ago, a very good athletic good friend of mind, got a massive heart attack LA Fitness in Garden city. So happened, a mail nurse was near by, used one of the defibrillator which was situated on the wall, very visible, and saved my friend’s life. The usage of the defibrillator was enough to keep my friend alive until paramedics showed up. If not for that, my friend would be dead. He’s doing well now
Would you be ok with sharing your brother story?
Barb:
Sure. I would really like to let groups know how important it is. The Colonie Pickleball club is having someone do two demonstrations to our groups on Friday. I’m going to go even if the doc says I can’t play because I know part of why they are doing it is cause of my brother.
Shlomo:
I reached out to Anthony Morelli Clifton Park Board Of Directors, asking him for the code of that defibrillator by the softball field, and instead, he installed a defibrillagor by the bathroom (at Veterans Park). Donated by Starpoint Church.
Barb:
I am very glad to hear this. I know some of you know that a couple of weeks ago I lost my brother while playing at Longkill. I was playing with three of my brothers when my brother Jim collapsed on the court. We worked frantically to save him until the EMTS arrived. They were not able to get his pulse back and he passed away. One of my friends said that if a defibrillator had been there, his life could have been saved. This is so important and could make such a difference in a situation like that.