Logan Memorial Service: Location Change

David's memorial service (to be held in Logan, Utah on July 1st at 11:00 a.m.) has changed locations. It will no longer be held at St. John's Episcopal church. Instead it will take place in the Caine Wanlass Performance Hall on USU's campus. The address is 700 East 1200 North.

Please spread the word.

Thanks,
The Heiner Family and Erin

David Mark Heiner

David Mark Heiner, age 19, of Logan, Utah, died on June 18, 2008 in Charlotte, North Carolina following a drowning accident.

He was born on July 1, 1988 in Salt Lake City, Utah to his parents Vickie Edgley Heiner and Mark D. Heiner.

He moved with his family to Charlottesville, Virginia for four years and then back to Logan, Utah where he lived until his passing. David attended the Cache County schools, graduating from Sky View High School in North Logan, Utah in 2006.

David loved politics and the theories of political science. That love led him to success on the Sky View debate team and continued to serve him as he pursued his degree at Utah State University. David saw politics and government as a way to make the world better. In pursuit of this dream, David took every opportunity to serve at USU. He was elected as a board member of the Political Science Honors Society, Pi Sigma Alpha and he served on the Advisory Council for ASUSU where he organized many activities and campaigns for student government. His hard work can also be seen in the new Political Science website that he set up this last spring. David planned to take his determination and passion for politics to Washington DC in spring of 2009 to serve an internship. He anticipated that this would be a historic time and he wanted to be right in the middle of it. He was loved as an undergraduate Teaching Fellow in the Department. His ability to connect with students and convey enthusiasm for the subject made him an invaluable resource. David worked hard to help others be successful. This generosity and love of politics will live on in a scholarship fund his parents are instituting in his behalf.

David was a beautiful, positive person who loved life, himself, and others. He was incredibly generous with an infectious smile and peaceful demeanor. Amazingly kind, he demonstrated compassion in everything he did. He had a wonderful sense of humor, which was tempered by love. He would truly light up the room and could bring out the best attributes and feelings in others. He helped people through the most difficult circumstances, with open ears, a loving smile, and a calming presence. He had such a magnetic personality that people couldn't help but love him. He concerned himself with the happiness of others. His life was driven by passion and zeal that would have taken him far. This world has been so blessed to have him in it; he certainly made it better with the small and simple elements of his genuine character.

He loved movies and worked at a local movie theater in Logan as a manager where he had many great friends and fun experiences. David loved the mountains in Utah and was an avid skier and snowboarder. He enjoyed hiking/backpacking with his father as a young man and later with his college friends. He was proud of his nerdy side and loved playing video adventure games. He also loved to read and discuss philosophy with his grandfather Jay.

He is survived by his parents Mark David and Vickie Edgley Heiner of Elkin, North Carolina, his sister Rebecca Heiner, his brothers Daniel and Nathan, his grandparents Jay R. Heiner and Helen Heiner of Center Harbor, NH and Bishop Richard C. Edgley and Pauline Edgley of Centerville, UT, his great-grandmother Melba H. Shand of Salt Lake City, UT and many wonderful and loving aunts, uncles, and cousins. He is also survived by his dearest friend, Erin Cullimore of Logan, UT.

The family will be receiving friends at a viewing held at Hodges Funeral Home in Elkin, NC on Friday June 20th from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. A small service for family and close friends will be held at Hodges Funeral Home on Saturday, June 20th at 11:00. Officiating will be Bishop Richard C. Edgley of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Burial will be at Hollywood Cemetery in Elkin, NC. Services at the interment will be conducted by Rev. Ralph Delgadillo of Galloway Episcopal Church, Elkin. A public memorial service will be held on Tuesday, July 1st (David’s birthday) at 11:00 A.M at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Logan, UT.

Donations may be directed to the David M. Heiner Memorial Scholarship Fund (Utah State University Dept. of Political Science). Contact Yadkin Valley Bank (336) 526-6300 in NC care of Billie Jester. In Utah, Zion’s Bank (435) 755-9995 in care of Dan Balls.

“The pain passes, but the beauty remains.”

Message from the Heiner Family

We are deeply saddened to report that our beautiful son David passed away today at about 11:00 a.m.

David was an exceedingly generous, kind, and loving person. Words cannot express the sorrow that we are feeling, borne of the inexpressible love that we have for him. We will strive always to keep his memory alive, and carry him in our hearts.

We thank the rescue and medical personnel that helped our son for the professionalism and compassion that they demonstrated.

We have been strengthened immensely by the outpouring of love and support we have received from our friends, family, and community, both here in North Carolina and in Utah. There are wonderful, good people everywhere and we have learned much about compassion, love, and kindness through this experience.

We love you and thank you with all of our hearts.

Love,
The Heiners – Mark, Vickie, David, Rebecca, Daniel, and Nathan

The ICU team, including the critical care physicians and the neurologists, met with David's family today to review the results of the CT scan that was performed yesterday.  We had previously learned that the first CT scan that was done almost immediately after David arrived in the ER had already started to show subtle signs of severe brain injury.  Yesterday's CT scan confirmed that there is complete and irreversible damage throughout all portions of David's brain.  Regrettably, even though his heart and lungs have been kept going through artificial means, there is no chance for even minimal recovery from this injury. 

 

Family members are now in the process of making final arrangements.  David's girlfriend of three years, Erin, is flying in tonight.  
 

We are filled with immeasurable sadness at the loss of this outstanding and beloved young man.  However, we have cherished the precious time that we have had to gather around David, cry, tell stories, and begin to reflect and celebrate this remarkable young man's life. 

 

We invite you to comment and share special rememberances of David Mark Heiner.   
 

Medical Update

The neurologist performed an EEG this morning to further assess brain function and to rule out seizure activity. David is now off all neuro-altering medications, and remains with no signs of purposeful movement. However, the neurologist does see signs that could possibly be slight brain stem activity. In this situation, because of the potential of brain swelling to decrease and also because of the potential of "stunned" brain cells to function once again, the ICU team is going to monitor David for 48 hours and then re-assess. The ICU team remains guarded and they are not ready to give a final assessment until after that 48 hour time period.

One positive predictive factor is how well David's other organ systems have improved. His lungs have been a primary concern, but he has been tolerating well a more conventional ventilator system since this morning.

Other systems are improving, as well. He is now stable enough to undergo a repeat CT scan of his brain, which may shed important light on the situation.

As people might imagine, family and loved ones want to give David every possible chance for survival and a meaningful recovery. We also realize the probable outcome. Mark and Vickie and the Heiner family have faced this ongoing ordeal with love, courage, and strength.

Update

We are deeply saddened to report that the neurologist's assessment of brain function was not favorable. It appears that the time David was without oxygen caused a cascade of reactions that has culminated in swelling and irreversible loss of function in his brain. Our expectation is that he cannot survive with the amount of damage done to his brain.

Words cannot express the depth of our sadness for the loss of our bright, intelligent, funny, loving, caring David. The ICU team will likely monitor David overnight for any signs of improvement, but the Heiner and Edgley families are in the process of saying our goodbyes.

A Message of Thanks from Mark

We are so very grateful for all of the love and support and prayers that we have received. I am thankful for the wonderful people that helped resuscitate our son at the scene, the Emergency Room staff at Hugh Chatham Memorial, the nurses, staff, and physicians that came to show us their support. He has been receiving excellent care here at CMC.

David is an amazingly generous and loving person. We are thankful for the time we have had thus far to be with him and are hoping and praying that he will show us some signs today that he is neurologically intact.

Again, thank you for your love and support. Keep David in your prayers.

Love,
Mark D. Heiner
(David's Dad)

Medical Update

David made it through the night without any complications. He was taken off the paralytic early this morning. Because of his mild kidney failure, the medication takes a little longer to be cleared from his system. To this point, the results have been less than hoped for. However, David does have slight muscle activity in his neck, which might represent spontaneous movement, but more likely represents reflexive activity. A neurologist is going to be consulted today to attempt to illicit and assess some brain activity.

On the other hand, the ICU team, though somewhat gaurded, continues to press forward. David began to receive nutrition through a tube to his stomach. They are also having some success at weaning the very aggressive form of mechanical ventilation that he is receiving. We are hopeful that we will get a better idea of his brain function sometime today.

The Heiners continue to speak with gratitude to all the medical providers, including the lifeguards, paramedics, nurses, and doctors, as well as friends and family, who have cared for David and their family. We remain cautiously hopeful.

Medical Update

Most of David's various medical conditions are trending in the right direction. However, because David has remained on a paralytic agent (which is typical when a person recieves ventilator support) we have been unable to adequetely assess David's neurologic function. We have good evidence that David had some spontaneous movements before he recieved the paralytic medication in the ER, which is a very good sign.

Given the potential damaging period of time that David was without normal blood flow to his brain, his neurologic status is a primary concern. The medical team plans to stop the paralytic agent early tomorrow morning in order to assess his current status. This will be possibly his most important assessment to date. He will remain somewhat sedated during this period, but we are hoping for, praying for, a large amount of spontaneous movement during this time. We hope he comes out fighting. We believe he will.

Thank you for your love, support, and prayers.

Elkin Tribune Article

Teen critical after near drowning
Published: Saturday, June 14, 2008
Wendy Byerly Wood, The Mount Airy News

STATE ROAD - An 18-year-old boy is in critical condition following a near drowning accident at Cedarbrook Country Club off Poplar Springs Road Friday afternoon.

Surry County EMS Shift Supervisor Garry Scearce credited the club's lifeguard's quick response and knowledge for saving the teen, whose name was not released due to patient privacy laws.

"He went into the water apparently. The lifeguard saw him go under, went in, pulled him out and initiated CPR," Scearce said of the unidentified lifeguard. "The lifeguard did a great job getting him out of the water and recognizing something was wrong."

About two minutes after CPR was initiated, first responders arrived on the scene and used the automated external defibrillator, which gave one shock, and then continued CPR until EMS arrived.

Shortly after EMS arrived on the scene, medical responders regained pulses in the teen and he was transported to Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital, where he was treated and stabilized. The teen was then airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, where he is in critical condition, Scearce said Friday evening.

Scearce said he was unsure of what led up to the incident, but that it was under investigation.

Medical Update

This afternoon, David has done well with being slowly weaned off the high levels of oxygen. Normal room air contains 21% oxygen. David was requiring 70% oxygen last night, but he is now only needing 45% this afternoon.

David's labs (representing kidney, liver, and lung function) are also slowly improving. He has a slightly elevated white blood cell count, but he remains on powerful antibiotics for any possible infections.

He remains sedated and still, but his body continues to fight.

On the afternoon of June 13th, 2008 David Heiner on summer break visiting his family in Elkin, North Carolina, was involved in a swimming accident.

He was swimming with his younger brothers Daniel and Nathan at the local country club pool. David is an excellent swimmer. While swimming underwater, David lost consciousness.

Lifeguards onsite provided CPR. An off-duty EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) gave further support. David was transported by ambulance to the local medical center, and upon arrival at the Emergency Room, he was found to have a pulse but was not breathing on his own.

2 hours later, David was flown by helicopter to the Medical Center of the Carolinas in Charlotte. David was admitted to the ICU, where he remains sedated and intubated (on a respirator), and in critical condition.

David's body temperature has been lowered to reduce the potential for injury to his brain. David has had other medical complications related to the accident, which have been slowly improving over the past 12 hours.

We will be updating this site as further developments occur.

The Heiner family is very grateful for the concern, support, prayers, and words of encouragement of many family members, friends, coworkers and colleagues at this time.