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Community Corner

About Town: Bellevue Man's Rescuer, Councilman Chelminiak's Family Honored as Heroes by Local American Red Cross

Local American Red Cross chapter honored Duane Innes of Kent, who saved Bill Pace of Bellevue as he had a medical emergency behind the wheel of his pickup, and Councilman John Chelminiak's family, wife Lynn Selmer and daughter Megan Chelminiak.

Bill Pace of Bellevue believes in guardian angels. He applauded as one of his guardian angels – Duane Innes of Kent – recently was honored as one of eight local heroes by the American Red Cross of King and Kitsap Counties. The Heroes were celebrated March 31 at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle.

Innes was honored for saving Pace – and probably a number of other people – on July 23, 2010. Pace had a heart attack while driving his Ford F-150 truck on State Route 167. Pace passed out and his truck was out of control. About 500 yards ahead, traffic on the freeway was completely stopped.

Pace, 80, who operates the Mercer Slough blueberry farm and fruit and vegetable stand on Bellevue Way, had been to Kent to pick up an order. He visited a friend in Covington and headed back to Bellevue.

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“I’d had a heart attack two days before,” Pace said. “The doctor wasn’t sure what was going on so I was wearing a heart monitor. I felt fine when I went to Kent.”

He passed out in his truck on the freeway. His foot was still on the accelerator. The truck went from the right lane to the center, barely missing the Jersey barrier.

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Innes was driving his family to a Seattle Mariners game and watched the truck weaving across the freeway. He pulled up beside the truck where he could see Pace was slumped over the steering wheel.

Innes sped ahead, cut in front of the truck and slowed down, letting the truck run into his bumper. Then Innes gently rode his brakes until both vehicles came to a halt.

“I heard Duane when he climbed over my hood and came up to the window,” Pace said. “I remember opening the door for him.”

Innes pulled Pace’s foot off the accelerator and shut off the engine. Pace remembers giving a thumbs up sign when another man yelled that help – the Washington State Patrol – was on the way.

“The Washington State Patrol officer asked if I was supposed to be driving,” Pace said. “I told him no one had told me not to.”

That’s a typical Pace quip. His next comment is also typical aw-shucks, don’t-make-a-fuss-over-me Pace remark. He didn’t want to get into the ambulance.

“I’ll just call my wife and she’ll come get me and take me to my doctor’s office,” he remembers telling the officer.

Pace chuckles because the next memory is so vivid.

“He said to me that I had two choices. I could either get on the gurney myself or he would handcuff me and put in leg irons and put me on the gurney. I got on the gurney.”

Pace spent the next six days in Virginia Mason Hospital getting a tune-up. He was back to work, greeting customers and overseeing the store operations, within hours of being released. He carves time out of his busy schedule to go back to Virginia Mason three times a week for cardiac rehab where he works out under the guidance of a physician. His blood pressure these days runs 112/60 – quite a switch from the 170/90+ that it was the week of the heart attack.

“Mr. Innes is one in a million to perform the way he did,” Pace said. “He had five passengers in the van. Most people would have gone by and honked. It was a miracle Duane came along when he did.”

The appearance of Duane Innes at the just the right time doesn’t amaze people who know Pace. For all his life, the longtime Bellevue resident has given countless hours to the community – from helping build a Boy Scout camp to helping with Special Olympics. He donates often to charitable events, opening his wallet and his heart for dozens of good causes.

If anyone deserves a guardian angel’s help, it is Bill Pace.

Family rescuers

Lynn Semler and Megan Chelminiak of Bellevue were also honored as heroes at the American Red Cross breakfast. Semler and Chelminiak are the wife and daughter of Bellevue City Councilman John Celminiak. After near their Lake Wenatchee cabin, Semler remained by Chelminiak and performed first aid even though the bear was nearby. Megan helped her mother during the incident.

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