Another coach suffers fatal heart attack on West Seattle playfield

| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

For the second time in less than a year, a deadly heart attack has felled a youth-sports coach on the sidelines of a field in West Seattle. Last October, it was 38-year-old West Seattle Soccer Club coach Ed Kingston, at Riverview Playfield; last Thursday, KIRO TV reported today, 34-year-old baseball coach Ian Holding died on a field at the Southwest Athletic Complex. The KIRO report links to a memorial website for Coach Holding, which says family and friends are gathering tonight in Normandy Park to remember him. The tribute website says he was a coach for the 15U team of the Burien-based Washington Brewers, part of the Seattle Elite Baseball League, and that his 15- and 7-year-old sons were there when it happened. A memorial fund has been set up; donation information is here.

shihtzu June 6, 2012 (7:40 pm)

I had heard about that. So sad.

13UBrewer June 6, 2012 (8:01 pm)

RIP Ian

kate June 6, 2012 (8:25 pm)

Is it just me or is West Seattle experiencing a high rate of death/murder this year? Too much heartbreak for too many friends and families. Thoughts and prayers to all who have lost somebody this year. RIP

AJP June 6, 2012 (8:45 pm)

Oh my goodness how horrible. My thoughts and prayers to the family and friends.

Gene June 6, 2012 (8:46 pm)

So young and so sad.

Do you know if AEDs (automated external defibrillators) are typically kept on/near the field? While they don’t help in all cases, they do increase survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest from 5-30% to > 50% on average.

WSB June 6, 2012 (10:37 pm)

Gene, that question occurred to me too – we plan to follow up. The county in fact has an awareness campaign about that going right now.

very sad June 6, 2012 (9:20 pm)

Both so young that is VERY sad. Condolences to all and prayers for his sons.

Robbie June 6, 2012 (9:49 pm)

My friends played on his team. Hes was a great guy. Keep the family and him in your prayers.

add June 6, 2012 (11:25 pm)

@Gene, the Chief Sealth PTSA made a generous donation last year to the Heart of Seattle Schools foundation, in conjunction with the Nick of Time Foundation to support the installation of AEDs at Seattle public schools and we also supported a free heart screening that was hosted at CSIHS last summer. My understanding is that they did install an AED at SWAC – but I don’t know the circumstances of this sad and unfortunate event. My deepest condolences to Mr. Holding’s family.
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http://www.heartofseattleschools.org/
http://nickoftimefoundation.org/

Alki Guy June 7, 2012 (8:40 am)

So incredibly sad. Both gentlemen in their thirties! All concerned are in my prayers.

Gene June 7, 2012 (10:36 am)

@WSB – thank you. It may not have helped in this case as it sounds like there were off-duty paramedics there and they started CPR right away, but given the apparent increase in sudden cardiac arrest, I’d love to see AEDs on the field for all sporting events and large public gatherings to provide the best chance for survival.

@add – thank you and I appreciate the PTSAs donation last year. This is an issue literally near and dear to my heart as someone who survived a heart attack (MI, not SCA) in my late 20s. Thank you for the links, and I too offer my deepest condolences to his family.

steph in wseattle June 7, 2012 (3:55 pm)

Really sad about this. I read an article about this on KOMO and it said he went to the doctors a day or so before complaining of chest pain. They didn’t find anything? Kinda scary that you try to do the right thing and check and even that doesn’t save you.