Bill Silliker news??

While listening to Maine public Radio, I caught the very tail end of

a news item. It sounded like someone had a heart attack near Sandy

Stream Pond in Baxter State Park - a prime Moose watching spot.

 

They said a couple of people (doctor and nurse) were in a photo tour

there but couldn't save the victim. Bill Silliker's name was

mentioned, but I didn't catch whether he was the victim or if it was

one of his tours that was involved.

 

I saw Bill at Sandy Stream last week, so I know he was in the area.

 

Anyone have any news on what went on there?

See <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=006EW0&unified_p=1">Sad News</a> ...

Bill Silliker passed away on Monday morning due to a heart attack while leading a photo tour at Baxter State Park in Maine. Bill was a dedicated photographer and extremely generous about helping those interested in both nature and photography. He will be missed.

If you go to Google news and do a search on "Bill Silliker," you'll pull up a few stories. I was shocked and saddened to hear this today, too.

While I don't know Bill Silliker, this is indeed sad news. Just like Galen and Barbara Rowell's plane crash last year, once again this is a reminder that life is short and unpredictable. Someone who was apparently well yesterday can be gone all of a sudden. I guess we should all enjoy nature photography while we can.

Very sorry to hear of this... my condolences to his friends and family. Nice photography at http://www.camerahunter.com

This makes me want to scream WHY??? It is so frustrating when the good ones get taken so early and all kinds of evil people are happily thriving. Bill was truly one of the good ones. It makes me want to scream but all I can do is cry. I know that Bill will be remembered for all the wonderful things he's done and the world is certainly a prettier and better place because he lived.

Sad news indeed.

 

BTW, this may not apply to everyone -- and it may not have helped Bill Silliker -- but

any photo tour group nowadays should have a portable defibrillator. Our local health

club installed one last year and it has already saved two lives. Only 5% survive sudden

cardiac arrest and the number one thing that can help the survial rate is one of these

portable devices.

 

The newest units are FDA approved to be sold to the public (with a doctor's

prescription), are lightweight (3 lbs.), have a battery shelf life of 4 years or so, and

low-cost (around $2500). One such unit is the Heartstart Home Defibrillator (http://

www.heartstarthome.com).

I watched while he was being administered the CPR. Did not know that there was actually a doctor and a nurse involved. The oxygen arrived about one hour later. I am still numb.

Bill was a fantastic photographer, and a wonderful wonderful

man. His passing is a great loss to all of us. I have never met a

photographer so giving of himself, his time, his experience and

knowledge, and ready to share his passion. He worked tirelessly

for the causes he believed in, and contniually encouraged others

to do the same.

 

I would ask the moderators, out of respect for Bill, to remove the

posts in this thread that don't pertain to the matter, they're

distastful and inappropriate. After doing so, they can edit this

post as well.

 

As Gloria said, many parts of the world are remain wild, natural

and free, because of Bill Silliker, Jr. For that, we owe the man a

lot.

 

Love ya Bill, I miss you already.

 

Rest in Peace buddy.

 

Regards

 

Carl Donohue

<blockquote><i>I would ask the moderators, out of respect for Bill, to remove the

posts in this thread that don't pertain to the matter, they're distastful and

inappropriate.</i></blockquote>

 

I agree.

 

<p>I did not mean any disrespect -- only education. If I offended anyone, I

apologize.

I happen to think Mike Sisk's original suggestion is not a bad one, although clearly not everybody can afford and should spend on a $2500 defibrillator. But some of us can afford those $6000 lenses, so why not a potentially life-saving medical device? Unfortunately, it was some of the over-reaction in the follow up that spoiled the thread.

This is horrible and tragic news.

 

The only solace we might have is that Bill passed away doing something he loved.

 

For years he encouraged us all to get 'out there'.

 

We will always miss you Bill. RIP.

I just got back home after my trip to Maine. As I said in my original post I was at Sandy Stream Pond and saw Bill there the week before his tragic death. He look and sounded fine and I was shocked to hear the news.

 

Sandy stream is pretty remote, though not really "wilderness". It's about a 20 minute walk from the nearest parking lot and Ranger station, but it's at least 1 hr from the nearest medical center (Millinocket) by road and there's probably nowhere close that you could land a helicopter - the woods are pretty dense.

 

 

Mike's suggestion is a good one and is certainly practical for tour group operators. Carrying a defibrillator - at least in the support vehicle - isn't unreasonable. It doesn't always work and you may not be able to get to it in time, but it's a something that could easily save a life.

 

 

I guess if Bill had to go, he might have picked Sandy Stream Pond as the place, since he worked there so often and it's one of the most beautiful locations I've ever seen.

 

 

If any good can come of this, maybe it will give some people a wakeup call and encourage them to get a cardiac check, especially if they intend to go off into the wilderness. Statistically, the first sign of heart disease is sudden death. If you're over 45 or overweight, maybe a checkup and a stress test could save your life. I know this is true because it saved mine. I was due to go on a hiking trip (solo) in the Rockies 7 years ago. For various reasons I took a stress test a month before the trip. Two weeks later I was on the operating table - they had found a serious cardiac problem.

 

 

BTW I was under 45 and not overweight. It can happen to any of us.<div></div>

I'm not a photographer, I never even knew Bill, I do own one of his books and I've been aware of Bill for quite sometime... it's hard to share the same name as someone and not be aware of who they are.

 

I had always wanted to meet Bill, and it's not like I even live all that far from where he lives. I was somehow deeply saddened upon hearing of his passing.

 

I too have walked the trails at Baxter State Park... have had my own moose sightings.

 

Somehow, while never haaving known Bill.. I feel a loss in never having met him.

 

Just wanted to share that here.

 

Thanks

 

Bil Silliker

Newburyport Massachusetts