Referee thanks 'guardian angels' who saved his life in Wheeling
A football referee who suffered a heart attack during a game at Wheeling High School in October, prompting an off-duty Wheeling police officer to help save his life, is making a full recovery.
Jim Biggio, the referee from Downers Grove, choked back tears as he thanked officer Rick Richardson and football coach Joe Wolinski for coming to his rescue after he collapsed on the field Oct. 19.
"Without these guys, I probably wouldn't be here tonight," Biggio said as the three were reunited for an awards ceremony before the Wheeling village board last week. "They're both my heroes and my guardian angels."
Richardson was off duty and coaching the Wheeling High team when he saw Biggio on the ground, ran across the field and started performing CPR. Wolinski, who also teaches at the high school, grabbed a defibrillator to help revive the fallen referee.
Less than three months later, Biggio has recovered from bypass surgery and was present when Richardson and Wolinski received lifesaving awards from village leaders.
The village also honored resident Muhammad Salahuddin with lifesaving award. In September, Salahuddin was inside his apartment at River Mills Crossing when he looked out the window and saw a child facedown in the complex pond.
Salahuddin pulled the 5-year-old boy with autism from the water and performed CPR. The child then spit up water, vomited and started breathing again. Paramedics took the child to the hospital, and he made a full recovery.