Bolt for the heart

By Mark Ambrogi

Dr. Joe Calderazzo recalls feeling a little out of sorts during the ride from Washington, Ind., to Carmel a year ago.

He shook it off, he had a game to do. As the referee of his football crew got to the field, Calderazzo took note of the beautiful field and the impending semistate high school football game between two strong Class 6A teams in Carmel and Penn.

As he took the field, he told his long-time friend and crew member Wayne Patterson: “‘Big brother, if I died on this field tonight I’d probably be a very happy man.’ He got this intensely fearful look on his face and he went and just made sure there was someone there from the ambulance crew.”

Good thing Carmel High School personnel was well prepared because as Calderazzo was making his way downfield after a big Carmel gain in the second quarter, he collapsed after signaling first down.

The Carmel training staff had an automated external defibrillator on site and quickly came to Calderazzo’s aid. When Calderazzo awoke, he saw a bright light. Fortunately he soon realized it was just the lights from Carmel’s stadium.

His initial reaction was he had to get up, he had a game to finish. He then felt his ribs hurt and knew what had happened. The AED electro pads are attached to the chest and used to apply jolts. Calderazzo needed two jolts from the AED because he had gone into cardiac arrest due to arrhythmia As peditrician, Calderazzo has taught others how to use the AED.

“As I was coming off the field, I figured the crowd might acknowledge me since I almost died out there but it was a lot louder than I thought,” he said. “When I waved, it was thunderous. I’ll never get an applause like that again. I was very humbled by the fact that good people were standing and praying that someone they never knew would make it.”

Calderazzo, now 63, was rushed to the St.Vincent Heart Center of Indiana.

“I remember thinking I wasn’t meant to die because there are too many good things around me,” Calderazzo said. “I’m in the heart capital of Indiana. I got all the cardiologists and heard surgeons available to me.

“The good Lord couldn’t have taken me by the hand any better.”

Indiana High School Athletic Association commissioner Bobby Cox left the game he was attending and arrived at the hospital that night to see Calderazzo.

“He was there because he cared,” said Calderazzo, who had a quadruple bypass surgery the next day.

Calderazzo has since become friends with Carmel athletic director Jim Inskeep, who he credits for the school’s great preparation.

Inskeep said less than 10 seconds after Calderazzo hit the turf, he was surrounded by the training staff. Inskeep said one AED is on sidelines during the game.

“You do a lot of planning and you hope it works,” Inskeep said. “There’s that human element involved and you never know until it happens. We have a lot more home personnel at a football game than at a home freshman softball.”

Inskeep said one AED stays in the varsity gym at all times.

Inskeep said they made a concerted effort to make sure the AEDs are still working because batteries can go bad at some point.

Calderazzo had moments of depression last winter when he couldn’t referee basketball last winter as he recuperated. But he has returned to the football field to referee this fall. He has fared well except for breaking three ribs when he got over by a player in late October.

Cox said the key is awareness and making sure the equipment where it belongs and individuals that know how to use it.

“Be aware of your surroundings and have a plan,” Cox said. “We’ve been preaching that for many years. We’re fortunate that Joe is still with us it proves that when you do have a plan, good things happen. We don’t know when this next incident is going to occur. We want to make sure every school, every community, every venue is ready and equipped to do what it has to do.

“They key is make sure that it works, makes sure it’s accessible and make sure people know how to operate. So if it’s an official, a fan, a student-athlete or a coach, it’s being here ready to deal with that.”

Calderazzo was an umpire the state finals in baseball in 2004. His best moment was being a referee with his crew at the 2008 Class 2A state football championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium.

“That was my shining star,” Calderazzo said. “That to me was everything. Hopefully we’ll get to go to another one.”

Bolt for the Heart run set

On Thanksgiving Day, the Bolt for the Heart Run will start at 9 a.m. the Center Green in Carmel.

The 5K walk/run is to benefit HeartReach Carmel for placement of AEDs in an effort to save people who suffer sudden cardiac arrest. The cost to register is $35 by 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 25. Those signing up four runners, get the fifth registered for free. Children under 5 and 75 and older are admitted free but must register online.

According to organizers, registrations are up 100 percent over last year and they are hoping to place 30 to 50 AEDs in Central Indiana with 100 percent of the race proceeds.

Calderazzo said he plans to be there to lend his support and wants to walk the course. The event organizers gave Calderazzo an AED (worth $2,400) to present to Washington High School in his name.