Page 151 - Winterling's Chasing the Wind

Upon visiting my cardiologist, Virginia and I discussed my ability to continue driving
my car. Dr. Farrell said I was physically able to drive, but the Florida Department of
Transportation would not approve. Before we left, we met Dr. Hassel, who was on duty
the night I was brought to the hospital. Channel 4 had not reported on my medical
emergency because Virginia and Wendy thought it was a private affair. Finally,
because of a barrage of public inquiries, we allowed them to do a report in November.
Mary Baer talked with Dr. Hassel about the event, I met with the Rescue 911 unit at
Fire Station 51, and both Anchors Tom Wills and Mary Baer came to our house to
recreate the incident.

I appeared on the Morning Show to describe my condition and the changes I had to
make. I described my implanted Cardioverter-defibrillator and how I had to avoid close
contact with electromagnetic fields like those in cell phones and electric motors. I had a
monitor by my bed that sent heart information to my cardiologist. I was reminded to
call 911 if the Defibrillator was activated. One of my biggest adjustments was to stop
driving. The fact that my heart could stop without notice made it necessary that I allow
someone else to drive out of concern for pedestrians and other drivers.

In 2012, WJXT recognized me for my 50 years of service to the station and to the
community. A one hour Special* program was aired on June 11, 2012, which was fifty
years to the day that News Director, Bill Grove and Station Manager, Glen Marshall,
hired me. Special Sports Director Sam Kavouris, interviewed my son, Steve
Winterling, Head Baseball Coach at Pasco-Hernando Community College and News
Anchor, Mary Baer, traveled to Tallahassee to interview my granddaughter, Amanda
Schwank, now a junior at Florida State University. Amanda had appeared in my
George’s Garden shows from when she was less than two to five years old. Veteran
News Anchor Tom Wills interviewed me about the innovations that I had introduced to
TV during my career.

Fellow News Anchor, Rob Sweeting, had an experience similar to mine in 1999 at
Baptist Medical Center. In 2004, his heart attack was treated by the same nurse and in
the same room by Fe (Fay) Tanalgo, RN. Not only did I have many memories of the
past five decades for the Special, I had collected more than a thousand pictures and
several mementos. Anchor of The Morning Show, Bruce Hamilton, came to my house
for a display of my photo albums. My wife, Virginia, always had told me to “get rid of
that junk”. It may have outlived its usefulness, but I’m writing my memories in this My
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