The combined effort of a concerned citizen, a Door County Deputy, first responders and EMTs led to the successful revival and transport of a 75 year-old northern Door County man who suffered from an apparent heart attack while driving on Highway 42 near Clark Lake Road in the Town of Sevastopol Thursday afternoon.
At about 2:45pm, Kevin Wilke was about to cut hay and was driving through his corn field of Clark Lake Road when he noticed a car on the shoulder of the highway. Later, he saw that the car was in the corn field. Wilke drove over toward the car with his tractor when a woman approached him. Betty Waite of Bayshore Drive said her husband, Jerry, who had been driving the car appeared to be having a heart attack. Wilke called 911 immediately and offered to help. He also checked Waite’s pulse and found it to be very fast.
Wilke continued checking the pulse until Deputy Brad Shortreed arrived. He also made sure the car was in the “park” position. Deputy Shortreed noticed that Waite’s face was blue and, when he checked his pulse, he couldn’t find one. Shortreed pulled Waite out of the vehicle with Wilke’s help and placed him on the ground where the deputy began CPR. When first responders arrived they were advised to shock Waite using a defibrillator. Once that procedure was completed, Shortreed continued with CPR until other first responders arrived and relieved him. In short order, and ambulance responded and Jerry Waite was transported to Ministry Door County Medical Center. It was later learned that he had a good rhythm and pulse and medical personnel were looking into transporting him to Bellin Hospital in Green Bay
