Saving Willie (Not the whale)

Saving Willie (Not the whale),

OK... another crazy occurrence at the GYM today. I actually saved a guys life... I know, Crazy huh! I know some of you are rolling your eyes and waiting for a punch line, but there isn't one... Here is what happened.

I was about 30 laps into my swim (end of my workout) and I noticed a guy running from the steam room to the lobby. I stopped swimming, because although running in a gym is fairly normal, most don’t run on a wet pool deck and hey, It was an excuse to take a breather. The guy ran back and went into the steam room (with a panicked look on his face)..then out again and in to the locker room. A couple of people had come out of the steam room in the meantime and its seemed they were amused by a guy that was reportedly sleeping inside. My mind at first thought..Oh, the guy running must have fallen asleep and now he was late or embarrassed. But then, I noticed a couple of people kept poking their heads back in the steam room and back out looking dumbfounded. Then it hit me “Holy $%#%&$” there is a guy “asleep” in a 114degree steam room...this can't be good!

I ran into the steam room and found a guy (about 50yrs old 240lbs.) keeled over on his side with an excess of drool, and his eyes rolled back in his head. I tapped him, no response, People are now running around like crazy...I shook him a bit, no response. I shouted we need to get him out of here. Someone yells out “don't move him” WHA??? It's crazy hot in here and his skin is even hotter (he was hot to the touch). I reach down to grab him and realize he is dead weight. A lady who is with me in the room starts to help me move him but he is too big. She hollers out to a guy sitting in the hot tub. He runs in and gives me a hand. We lay him down on the pool deck outside of the steam room (He at this point is opening his eyes but cant speak or squeeze my “co-carriers” hand. We roll up someones towel and put it under his head. Someone there had a bottle of cool water (not cold) so we slowly poured the water over his core and neck to try and cool him off. The guy helping me was asking him a bunch of questions that he couldn't answer but it was keeping him thinking and waking up. I heard someone say “why is he asking him all of those questions, he can't answer” His breathing was shallow. I asked one of the GYM personnel if 911 had been called and got an I dunno look, and I sent them to go call. A little more water and we asked him again... What is your name.... Wwwwillie. Thank GOD... It was the best thing I had heard all day. He looked up and said..”Willie, My name is Willie”...” I'm OK!” I said... Yes Willie you are going to be...but you still need to lay there and take it easy. The guy helping me says “They always say they are OK”

The paramedics arrived and took over. I went to get back in the pool, shook up a bit by the thought that he may have died right there at my feet. Then I realized some jerk stole my swimming lane for my trouble. I dried off and called it a day.

Crazy HUH!... Wow, I don't know what would have happened if nobody found him. I'm glad I didn't just keep on swimming, I don't know how I would have lived with that. I know he didn't have long before it would have been over. As I left, the GYM manager thanked me and said that he was in there about 45 minutes. I looked over at Willie and said, Feeling better (he was still being attended to)? He said yes, Are you my hero?... I knew he was still delirious at that point hahahahaaa

Another day at the GYM,

Talk to you soon.