SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The Sioux Falls community has lost a loving father, husband and coach.
From the time two good samaritans saved Shane Vanderloo’s life after he had a heart attack in 2023, we followed along with his journey until his death earlier this month.
Shane’s wife, Tonia, remembers Shane as someone who cared for and treasured the people around him.
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Vanderloo found the good in people.
“Shane was a compassionate person,” Tonia Vanderloo, said.
Shane saved lives as a paramedic and as a member of air flight teams.
“When he was a paramedic, he absolutely loved it. He wanted to serve his community,” Tonia Vanderloo said.
One call was especially memorable for him.
“There was one call he had that he had to deliver a baby, and it was premature The mom had named the baby after Shane, and so on his first birthday, Shane got to go meet the baby and celebrate his first birthday,” Tonia Vanderloo said.
Shane also also had a passion for coaching.
“He coached from soccer, softball, baseball, football. You name it, he’s coached it,” Tonia Vanderloo said.
He devoted countless hours toward his athletes.
“He absolutely loved it, 100%. He was out there at Renner, oh my goodness, for ten hours a day. I mean, he would be out there early if the kids wanted extra practice. He’d go out there, he’d throw it to them, he’d hit to them. He’d do anything. If anybody wanted to go out there, he would be there for them, 100%,” Tonia Vanderloo said.
He was at the baseball field in Renner when he suffered cardiac arrest in 2023. KELOLAND News was there when he met with Jamie Sorum and Jeff Mott, the two men who found him, administered CPR, used an AED and saved his life.
“I’m so grateful for that, and he did have all of his ribs broken, but he was here,” Tonia Vanderloo said.
Shane was also thankful to have a new lease on life.
“I should not be here,” Shane Vanderloo told us in 2023. “That’s just the bottom line, so I’m glad I am. There must be something else for me to do. That wasn’t my time.”
But his fight didn’t stop there. We caught up with Shane again in February of this year when he was in the hospital at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha after being put on the heart transplant list.
“He fought every day. He had chest pain all day long. Every hour, every minute waking up with chest pain. He had to have nitro with him all the time,” Tonia Vanderloo said
“This whole process, it’s more a mind game than a physical game in my opinion. You got to keep your mind positive,” said Shane Vanderloo in February.
And stay positive he did. Through all the ups and downs, Shane never let his spirit get too low.
“He always joked around. There was never a dull moment. People would come up, say, ‘Hi, how you doing?’ And he’d always say, ‘Well, I’m still upright,'” Tonia Vanderloo said.
Unfortunately, Shane died after undergoing a heart transplant. He fought hard every step of the way. Since his death, his family has received support from the community. At Shane’s funeral, his 2022 state championship baseball team from Renner found a special way to honor him.
“At the funeral, his kids that won state with him in 2022 showed up in their jerseys at the funeral and honored Shane,” Tonia Vanderloo said.
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Shane’s son, Daulton, is a pitcher at Northern State. He’s wearing number 38 this year, and his teammates put a special sticker on the back of their batting helmets. 38 was Shane’s paramedic number.
In Daulton’s first pitching appearance since Shane’s death, he pitched a scoreless inning, and as he got the final out of that inning, he walked toward the dugout and pointed up at the sky.
Shane’s friends and family will miss him, but his light will always be in the hearts of the people who loved him.
“He’ll be remembered as a funny, hilarious jokester, compassionate guy. He absolutely loved everyone. Whoever he met, he made a friend,” Tonia Vanderloo said.
Tonia also says that she is grateful for the overwhelming amount of support her and her family received during Shane’s journey.
