Eric Carr, a resident of Mitchellville, Iowa, and native of Altoona, Iowa, tragically passed away while waiting to pick up his son from school on Tuesday. Carr was found unresponsive in his vehicle at the end of the school day as children were being dismissed from Mitchellville Elementary School. A child noticed the unresponsive man and alerted a nearby adult, who quickly requested medical assistance, according to Mitchellville Fire Chief Mike Twohey.
Two volunteer firefighters with the Mitchellville Fire Department, who were already on the scene, responded immediately and attempted life-saving measures. Among those who assisted were Rachel Wilimek, a parent picking up her children, and Amy Twohey, a reading specialist at the school. The Mitchellville Police Department expressed gratitude for their efforts in a social media post.
Jean Cristenson, Communications Relations Coordinator for Southeast Polk Schools, confirmed the parent of a Mitchellville Elementary student passed away following the incident. Due to medical privacy regulations, police and fire officials could not release additional details. In response to the tragedy, the Southeast Polk School District has assembled a crisis team at Mitchellville Elementary to provide counseling and support for grieving students and staff.
Mitchellville Police Department: In a community, there are those unsung heroes. The men and women who give their time to assure the safety of those they call neighbors. They are called volunteer firefighters. I want to recognize two of those individuals in our community. Rachel Wilimek and Amy Tohey, along with those who responded to yesterday’s event at the school. Too many times, we forget our volunteer firefighters and medics. We take for granted they will be there. We don’t realize the thousands of hours they dedicate to the community every year. Yesterday, both of these medics were going about their personal lives when they were called upon to switch from mom and teacher to first responder. They did it without question. Serving this community in its moment of need.
So, as you go about your lives in the City of Mitchellville today and you see either of these ladies, please say thank you for your service. These are your neighbors who choose to make a difference in your lives at a cost to theirs. Ladies from the Mitchellville Police Department, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for what you do because we rely on you to be there for us. GoFundMe
