Revived Ref Thanks 'Guardian Angel' Wheeling Teacher And Cop

WHEELING, IL — The football referee whose life was saved by two high school coaches, including an off-duty Wheeling police officer, gave an emotional thanks to the pair at a board meeting last week.

Officer Rick Richardson and health teacher Joe Wilinski were coaching Wheeling's freshman football game on Oct. 19 when they noticed referee Jim Biggio collapse on the field.

Richardson ran onto the field immediately and began performing CPR, as Wilinski rushed to get an defibrillator, which they quickly attached the fallen ref. They shocked him and Richardson kept doing chest compression until Biggio, 55, of Downers Grove, began to breathe again.

After he was taken to Glenbrook Hospital and received bypass surgery, Biggio was well enough to attend the Dec. 4 meeting of the Wheeling board to publicly express his gratitude for the two coaches' actions as they were honored with the village's life saving award.

"Without these guys, I probably wouldn't be here tonight," Biggio said, his voice wavering with emotion. "They're both my heroes and my guardian angels."

» Read more: Wheeling Cop Helps Save Collapsed Referee

_{Top photo: (from left) Officer Rick Richardson, teacher Joe Wilinski, Chief James Dunne, referee Jim Biggio during a the presentation of lifesaving awards at a Dec. 4 village board meeting.}