Vernon Pickleball Association from the outside
Image Credit: Vernon Pickleball Association
May 12, 2024 - 11:45 AM
A Kelowna man died suddenly at a pickleball tournament in Vernon yesterday.
The 49-year-old man was warming up for his match when he collapsed on the court.
“He dropped to the court during his warm-up. Fortunately it was the court right next to our AED machine, also where a retired ICU nurse was standing and she was there immediately with the AED machine. Part of our protocol is to have a medical person there and so they were also there within a minute. The two of them worked on him and the fire department arrived miraculously within minutes,” the tournament director Richard Chambers said.
The Vernon Pickleball Association’s “Battle in the Palace” mixed doubles tournament was at the pickleball complex less than a kilometre from a fire hall. The tournament was cancelled after the man's death, and the players and spectators were told it was due to a medical emergency.
“Three firemen were there in minutes and they all worked strenuously and did everything they could, without success,” Chambers said.
Chambers said the man was not taken to hospital, and he isn’t sure what the cause of death is. The man is unnamed for privacy.
“We don’t know, the BC Coroners will have to investigate,” Chambers said.
“Our hearts go out to the family, his friends and fellow pickleball players,” he said in a press release.
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