MALPEQUE, P.E.I. — Blair Creelman will never take for granted the ability to throw a baseball.
The well-known Summerside native survived a major health scare about three months ago, and he's now on a long road to recovery.
A fearless competitor, who has been active in baseball as a player, coach and umpire for close to 50 years, Blair displayed the same tenacity he's known for on the pitching mound while battling life-threatening heart issues.
"I am pretty fortunate to have things turn out the way they did and get that second chance," said Blair, 54. "A lot of people don't get that."
Blair's story, which drew an outpouring of support from across North America, is one of love, faith and teamwork.
His wife, Traci, was never far from his side, experiencing each high and low.
"Without Traci, I wouldn't have been able to do it," said Blair. "She's my best friend."
Heart attack
The morning of April 30 began as normal. Blair, who had not experienced any symptoms and had not taken a sick day in eight years, began feeling ill after breakfast. He had a mild ache in his sternum area that he described as two out of 10 pain-wise. Then his jaw went numb and he vomited four to six times.
Traci immediately drove Blair to Prince County Hospital (PCH) in Summerside. He walked into the emergency room while Traci waited in the car due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Blair was given a clot buster, told he was "having an event," and would be transported to Saint John, N.B., for further evaluation.
"Still, I had no anxiety, no fear," said Blair, the family wellness co-ordinator with the Lennox Island Health Department.
Blair praised the PCH's ER staff, emphasizing everyone was calm and collected.
"(Dr. Bewick) said it triggered a massive heart attack and Blair went into acute heart failure on the table. He said, 'I don't expect him to survive.'"
- Traci Creelman
“It was the same with (Island) EMS, which transported me to Saint John," he said. "They were phenomenal and just kept me nice and relaxed.”
Blair arrived at Saint John Regional Hospital later that afternoon and underwent his first procedure on May 1.
"They said he had a lot of coronary artery disease, so they couldn't finish the stints and they would bring him back (to the operating room)," said Traci, who was not allowed in the hospital due to COVID-19 but was receiving updates on Blair's condition.
He returned to the operating room on May 2 and this is when things became even more scary. After numerous calls seeking an update on Blair's procedure, Traci was told someone would call her back. She knew something was wrong.
As she waited in her hotel room, Traci admitted "the absolute worst-case scenario" was going through her head.
About 20 minutes later, cardiologist Dr. David Bewick told Traci that, while doing stinting, Blair's side branch artery was clipped.
"(Dr. Bewick) said it triggered a massive heart attack and Blair went into acute heart failure on the table," said Traci. "He said, 'I don't expect him to survive.'"
Allowed to visit
Due to his serious condition, Traci was allowed to visit Blair.
When she walked into intensive care, Blair was sitting up and spoke to Traci, which surprised her.
"He did not look well, but he knew me and was talking to me," said Traci.
She quickly called Blair's son Nick and daughter Rebecca and Traci's daughter Bethany. Blair's brother Peter called and all four individuals had a brief conversation with Blair, who does not remember any of it.
Next, it was decided to put Blair on life support to rest his heart. That gave Traci hope to grasp onto.
When this procedure was taking place, Traci posted a Facebook update. It wasn't long after the Healing Wishes for Blair Creelman page exploded with positive messages.
"It just shows what an influence this guy has been through his work and the baseball community," said Traci, a pharmacist. "He's just a good guy and that shined through with all the love and support."
Stable
The following day, May 3, Blair remained on life support but was stable. Dr. Bewick warned Traci that Blair is “not out of the woods yet.”
Traci spent 12 to 15 hours a day with Blair while he was on life support, playing their beach playlist and talking to him.
"I often talked baseball with the nurses when he was in a medically induced coma as they say (patients) can often hear," said Traci, who added Blair had played with and against some of the nurses' spouses.
Blair would face another curveball May 4. Doctors were concerned about poor circulation in his right leg. The balloon pump was in the femoral artery and a catheter was in the femoral vein in that leg. The balloon pump was removed that day and Blair was monitored for another 24 hours.
Doctors decided Blair would come off the ventilator on May 5 but wanted him off sedation for four hours before removing him from the ventilator to determine if he could breathe on his own. Blair described those four hours as “the worst” of his 11-day hospital stay.
"I could see the fear in his eyes, but he was staying very calm," said Traci, who was told people are sometimes agitated when they're removed from a ventilator.
Blair was originally restrained because of this. With him unable to talk with the ventilator equipment down his throat, he used baseball signs to communicate.
Blair would give the sign, Traci would tell the nurse what he needed and Blair would nod yes to confirm.
After being taken off the ventilator, Blair was eating solid foods on May 6 and was transported back to PCH on May 7. He returned home on May 10.
“I’m now on a nice buffet of meds every day,” said Blair. “I was never on any medications.”
"I am pretty fortunate to have things turn out the way they did and get that second chance. A lot of people don't get that."
- Blair Creelman
Blair currently has about 50 per cent heart function and faces a slow and steady recovery over the next 12 to 24 months that will hopefully see his heart function increase.
"I feel better every day," said Blair. "It's nice to be able to do some of the normal stuff we were used to doing before.
"I threw a bit the other night, had a catch and it felt great."
Some facts about Blair and Traci Creelman:
Although it is a long way away, Blair said he is eying a return to the ballfield – as both a player and coach. He won a world championship as a player with the Nova Scotia Alpines at the Roy Hobbs World Series in Fort Myers, Fla., in November 2019. He was a member of the Alpines that won the same tournament in 2014.
The Creelmans, who moved into their new home in Malpeque, P.E.I. on July 26, 2019, celebrated their third wedding anniversary on July 17, 2020.
Blair and Traci expressed their sincere appreciation to everyone who dropped off gift baskets and food when they returned home. That support also extended to when the Creelmans were in Saint John, N.B.
"The girl at the front desk of the Best Western was crying, 'I have had more phone calls from people wanting to pay for your room,'" said Traci.
Blair noted heart disease is hereditary in his family. His late father, Lou Creelman, suffered his first heart attack in his early 40s.
The Creelmans encourage people to not take anything for granted as lives can change in a second.
"A year and a half ago, he applied for extra life insurance and got the extra healthy rate," said Traci. "His cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, everything was perfect. Five per cent of the population will qualify for the healthy rate and he qualified for that.
"Going from that a year and a half ago to having what they considered a significant heart attack, it was a shock."
Summerside Area Baseball Association president Tanner Doiron described Blair as a "staple" of the organization.
"He is all about helping players and developing the game," said Doiron. "He has that feel for the game where players surround themselves with Blair and love his energy. He has done a lot for baseball, not only in Summerside, but across the province."
Today is the second in a series being presented by Saltwire Network. It tells the stories of Atlantic Canadians and how their resilience has helped them overcome great personal challenges. The third part of the series will appear in print and online on Monday, Aug. 17. Know someone as resilient as heck? Write your story, or submit theirs (with permission), to [email protected].
