Incident
at Chicago Indoor Racing on 10/11/07
Yesterday
was a very sad day for us at Chicago Indoor Racing as one of our guests, Jesus
Barrera (39), passed away while taking part in an event at Chicago Indoor Racing
as a result of a massive heart attack. Speaking to colleagues, it appears
that he was unaware of his heart condition, but had recently been diagnosed with
high cholesterol.
The Cook
County Medical Examiner's Office ruled he died instantly from a massive heart attack
caused by coronary atherosclerosis, which is the hardening and narrowing of the
arteries. He had no other injuries. Mr. Barrera died from natural causes,
completely unrelated to our experience; he had a heart attack, coasted into
a barrier and came to a halt. Our staff acted instantly attempting to use
CPR and a heart defibrillator, but the medical examiner confirmed that had he been
in a hospital nothing could have been done to save him. He could have been
in bed, out shopping or dining in a restaurant and the outcome, unfortunately, would
have been the same.
On a positive
note, he was in a safe controlled environment and therefore the tragedy was confined
to just Mr Barrera; one can only imagine what might have happened had been behind
the wheel of a car at the time......
The Latest Daily Herald & Suburban Chicago News and Chicago Tribune stories:
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=56115
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/600971,wa12_trackdeath_s1.article
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-go-cart_weboct13,0,4527856.story?coll=chi_tab01_layout
The Buffalo
Grove Emergency Response team commended our staff on their quick response to the
emergency, but said there was nothing we could have done for him. The entire
Chicago Indoor Racing family is heartbroken by this tragedy and express our deepest
sympathy to Mr. Barrera's parents and siblings.
For and
on behalf of
Chicago
Indoor Racing
