Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 16, 1994 TAG: 9408160108
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By RON BROWN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Larry LeGrande of Leon Street Northwest, whom hospital workers described as being in his late 20s, was listed in critical condition Monday afternoon at Community Hospital.
Witnesses said LeGrande had been going back and forth between the club's steam room and whirlpool in an effort to lose weight.
Roanoke Fire Department Capt. Ed Crawford said LeGrande had been in the whirlpool for at least three minutes when he was found beneath the surface by another patron at New Fitness health club near Crossroads Mall.
"His lungs were full of water," Crawford said.
Some club patrons said he had stayed in the steam room for nearly a half hour before getting into the whirlpool. The club has signs warning patrons to limit their stay in the steam room to five minutes or less.
LeGrande's heart stopped at least twice as city firefighters and emergency medical personnel tried to breathe life back into him. Some city fire stations have medically trained personnel to supplement city emergency medical units.
Crawford said rescue workers used a suction pump to remove fluid from LeGrande's lungs. He also was given stimulants to force his heart and lungs to work again.
When rescue workers arrived, LeGrande had no pulse. After he was revived the first time, he had a faint pulse momentarily, but his heart stopped again. Rescue workers revived him for a second time before he was taken to the hospital, Crawford said.
LeGrande had gone to the club with Lawrence Pannell, 36, with whom he regularly lifts weights.
The two men had done some exercises for their chests and arms when Pannell pulled a muscle in his back. After that, the two decided to get into the whirlpool.
They stayed there for a while before deciding to go into the swimming pool, where they stayed for about 15 minutes, Pannell said.
Pannell said LeGrande went to the steam room and later got back into the whirlpool.
Henry Fink, 48, was walking by the whirlpool when an older man told him there was someone bumping into him beneath the surface.
"I don't know whether he's doing it on purpose or not," Fink quoted the man as saying.
Fink pulled LeGrande to the surface, and Kenneth Mitchem, 48, hoisted him from the water.
The two men were soon joined by a weightlifter, who helped Mitchem perform CPR on LeGrande until rescue workers arrived.
Mitchem, who learned CPR at work, said Monday was the first time he'd ever used it. When he saw LeGrande's nearly lifeless body, he was glad he didn't have to stand by helplessly.
"I needed to save his life," he said.
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