Aunt Shelly and Heinz went on vacation so Grandma Bailey went to Tooele to stay with Grandma Parker. On Wednesday, April 8th I got a frantic phone call from my mother. She told me that my father was on top of some mountain, having a heart attack and was dying. I did not know what mountain, who had called her, or if he was alive. My husband had just left to go shopping, I felt so mad that he had left me at that time, even though he did not know. I called my friend Malissa to come help me with daycare and to stay her until Mike got home, I did not want to be alone. I immediately called my Brother. I knew if anyone could find him he could. And he did! However he's in big trouble with Dad because he maxed out the vans tack going 120 miles per hour. For a hour things were chaotic and we didn't know if he was alive. Every breath I took I was freaking out because I did not know if my Dad was taking his last breath. It was killing me.
As time went on we had figured out that he was alive. He was on top of Gunlock Canyon, he was with Two of his jeepin friends and a 14 year old daughter, Ashley. It was Ashley who was calling Grandma.
This is my story:
Dad and his friends went practicing up Gunlock. Dad was the only one in the jeep, he just starting climbing up a challenging spot. It must have been the kick up of adrenaline that started the heart attack. He started feeling pains in his chest. He stopped the jeep and started taking off his seat belt. He said his seat belt was to tight and was crushing his chest. He then realized he was having another heart attack. He took a nitroglycerin. Within a couple seconds he started throwing up and then blacked out and went unconscious. Dad was totally unconscious for 20 minutes. Steve was yelling at dad trying to wake him. while Ashley made calls to mom. Brandon was hiking up the mountain trying to find reception on his cell phone, his cell phone had GPS and so they was able to track the location. Dad started coming to and then would go out again, this went on for the next 45 minutes.
Dad was still in the drivers seat of the jeep while all this took place. Somehow they got dad in the passenger side of the jeep while Steve drove the jeep up higher. I guess a Life Flight helicopter could not land there.
Dad was conscious at this time. However, he was not in his right mind. He was disorientated and had slurred speech. I was talking to him on his cell. He said their was people all over. And two of the guys had chain saws. I don't know if he was serious or if he was being his goofy self but he kept saying they were going to saw him in half. Dad had made this call to me. He had also spoke to Mom, Jody and I believe Troy. He admits that he did not think he was going to make it out alive. I think that call was our Good-bye. Troy arrived and was with Dad. We felt so much better knowing dad was not alone.
Jody was on the phone with dad when two Life Flight Helicopters arrived at the same time. These are his words: Holy shit! Would you look at that. They must have sent out a new driver or something. He can't even land the thing, he's spinning everywere. Hell! I'm not getting in that helicoptor. Jody told Dad he was to get in that helicopter.
They loaded him in the larger one, taking him to Dixie Regional Center in St. George.
A BIG RELIEF! Dad was alive and was in a hospital.
Troy was able to get Dads jeep and Suzie (dads dog) out of the canyon. He was with Dad at the hospital the whole time so we were able to get good, accurate information.
Dad insisted that mom stayed at my house until morning, he was really worried that she would get in a wreck. At that time we new he was fine, mom was spending the night. Leaving the next morning. And I had planned on leaving Friday night.
Mom and I went to my accountants to drop off my tax information. We got a phone call from Troy. He said they did a angeogram on Dad. Dad was being prepared for Open Heart Surgery, he was in serious condition.
Mom freaked out!!! It was so hard to hold my composure. I wanted to freak out with her.
By the time we made it home from Nephi. Mike, the kids, Jody and her family was packed and ready to go. I still had my dirty clothes packed from Reno. So I grabbed them and we were gone. We made it to St. George before my dad was out of surgery.
They told my brother that all three arteries were 97% blocked and that he would not have lived more than a month. We are very sad he ended up with this horrible operation, but we feel so blessed that It happened the way it did. When you look at all the little details of this ordeal, you realize everybody and everything happened perfectly. Dad said he is defiantly here for a reason.
Here is a picture of Dad right out of recovery. When I seen him laying their so lifeless, so still. I did not think he was going to make it at this point. He is on a ventalator. He's extremely swollen. His lung is collapsed. They had him on 100% oxygen and his saturation was at 89.
As time went on we had figured out that he was alive. He was on top of Gunlock Canyon, he was with Two of his jeepin friends and a 14 year old daughter, Ashley. It was Ashley who was calling Grandma.
This is my story:
Dad and his friends went practicing up Gunlock. Dad was the only one in the jeep, he just starting climbing up a challenging spot. It must have been the kick up of adrenaline that started the heart attack. He started feeling pains in his chest. He stopped the jeep and started taking off his seat belt. He said his seat belt was to tight and was crushing his chest. He then realized he was having another heart attack. He took a nitroglycerin. Within a couple seconds he started throwing up and then blacked out and went unconscious. Dad was totally unconscious for 20 minutes. Steve was yelling at dad trying to wake him. while Ashley made calls to mom. Brandon was hiking up the mountain trying to find reception on his cell phone, his cell phone had GPS and so they was able to track the location. Dad started coming to and then would go out again, this went on for the next 45 minutes.
Dad was still in the drivers seat of the jeep while all this took place. Somehow they got dad in the passenger side of the jeep while Steve drove the jeep up higher. I guess a Life Flight helicopter could not land there.
Dad was conscious at this time. However, he was not in his right mind. He was disorientated and had slurred speech. I was talking to him on his cell. He said their was people all over. And two of the guys had chain saws. I don't know if he was serious or if he was being his goofy self but he kept saying they were going to saw him in half. Dad had made this call to me. He had also spoke to Mom, Jody and I believe Troy. He admits that he did not think he was going to make it out alive. I think that call was our Good-bye. Troy arrived and was with Dad. We felt so much better knowing dad was not alone.
Jody was on the phone with dad when two Life Flight Helicopters arrived at the same time. These are his words: Holy shit! Would you look at that. They must have sent out a new driver or something. He can't even land the thing, he's spinning everywere. Hell! I'm not getting in that helicoptor. Jody told Dad he was to get in that helicopter.
They loaded him in the larger one, taking him to Dixie Regional Center in St. George.
A BIG RELIEF! Dad was alive and was in a hospital.
Troy was able to get Dads jeep and Suzie (dads dog) out of the canyon. He was with Dad at the hospital the whole time so we were able to get good, accurate information.
Dad insisted that mom stayed at my house until morning, he was really worried that she would get in a wreck. At that time we new he was fine, mom was spending the night. Leaving the next morning. And I had planned on leaving Friday night.
Mom and I went to my accountants to drop off my tax information. We got a phone call from Troy. He said they did a angeogram on Dad. Dad was being prepared for Open Heart Surgery, he was in serious condition.
Mom freaked out!!! It was so hard to hold my composure. I wanted to freak out with her.
By the time we made it home from Nephi. Mike, the kids, Jody and her family was packed and ready to go. I still had my dirty clothes packed from Reno. So I grabbed them and we were gone. We made it to St. George before my dad was out of surgery.
They told my brother that all three arteries were 97% blocked and that he would not have lived more than a month. We are very sad he ended up with this horrible operation, but we feel so blessed that It happened the way it did. When you look at all the little details of this ordeal, you realize everybody and everything happened perfectly. Dad said he is defiantly here for a reason.
Here is a picture of Dad right out of recovery. When I seen him laying their so lifeless, so still. I did not think he was going to make it at this point. He is on a ventalator. He's extremely swollen. His lung is collapsed. They had him on 100% oxygen and his saturation was at 89.
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