HEROES IN ACTION
R.I. YMCA employees recognized for life-saving efforts
WARWICK — Kent County YMCA employees Stephanie Sarvia of West Warwick and Mitchell Willsie of Exeter became unexpected heroes earlier this month when they took quick action to help a longtime club member who experienced a heart attack in the facility’s pool on Aug. 11. Although the member died a day later, the two were recognized Friday morning for doing everything they could to save 76-year-old William Creedon of Warwick, who died on Saturday, Aug. 12.
Sarvia, the lifeguard and aquatics instructor on duty that morning, said she had been watching Creedon in the water while walking around the pool and began to notice something was off.
“He was doing laps and he stopped swimming so I decided to watch him,” Sarvia said. “Then I saw that he was in distress.”
Sarvia immediately pulled Creedon from the water and began performing CPR. Not long after, boot camp instructor Mitch Willsie arrived at the scene to help Sarvia, as well as fellow YMCA member and swim class attendee Barbara Fletcher, who also provided aid. Willsie performed chest compressions alongside Sarvia’s administering of CPR. Together, they gave Creedon two shocks with a nearby defibrillator and managed to get him breathing again.
“When the EMTs got here he was breathing. When he left here he had a heartbeat,” Willsie recalled. “We were elated.”
The happy feelings were short-lived, however, when they found out the next day that Creedon did not make it through overnight surgery for a blocked artery at Rhode Island Hospital.
“We did the best we could,” said Willsie. “We tried to keep oxygen rich blood going to the brain, that’s important in that time.”
Willsie said he has been teaching boot camp at the Kent County YMCA for the last 20 years as a health and wellness instructor and personal trainer.
On Friday morning, officials, including Warwick Mayor Scott Avedesian and representatives Evan Shanley and House Majority Leader Joe Shekarchi, recognized Willsie and Sarvia for their heroic efforts to help Creedon.
“It’s important that we pay honor to the Creedon family, but also that we thank our first responders who don’t get thanked often enough for the work that they do, and of course the two employees who sprang into action,” Avedisian said. “It’s nice to know that all that training pays off.”
Steven O’Donnell, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Providence, also thanked all the Kent County YMCAstaff.
“In a moment of crisis Stephanie and Mitch stepped up and performed,” he said. “It showcases what first responders and our YMCA staff are all about. They acted quickly.”
According to Warwick Fire Chief James McLaughlin, seven officers responded to the scene on Aug. 11, all of whom will be receiving citations for their efforts. McLaughlin also thanked the employees for attempting to stabilize Creedon until they arrived.
“In my 29 years here we’ve had a good working relationship with the Kent County YMCA, and after talking to the director this morning we are looking forward to new initiatives with the fire department,” said McLaughlin.
“We want to thank you for what you do,” Shekarchi said to Sarvia and Willsie as he presented them with proclamations.
“If the first response had not been initiated effectively in the first minute, Bill would not have lived to see a second minute. The key person in that first minute was clearly Stephanie,” Creedon’s Rhode Island Hospital attending physician was quoted as saying in a letter from his family and fiends. “Those 20 hours were so important, providing them time to be with Bill and to process what was happening.”
U.S. Rep. James Langevin could not be present but sent over proclamations for Sarvia and Willsie.
Creedon is described as an avid swimmer and passionate member of the YMCA. Follow Kendra Lolio on Twitter @kendralolio