Written By: Noah Douglas
On August 7, three members of the Lake Country DockHounds didn’t just save a baseball game—they potentially saved a man’s life as well.
Players Marek Chlup, Demetrius Sims, and broadcaster Dominic Stearn were sightseeing in Sioux Falls, S.D. when they came upon a distressing scene. A collision between a pedestrian and a bicyclist had left an elderly man with severe head injuries and bleeding heavily.
With blood pooling around the unconscious, helmet-less biker, the trio sprang into action.
“At first I was afraid,” Sims said, reflecting on the experience. “It was pretty traumatic, I’ll be honest. There was a lot of blood.”
Despite the shock, their first instinct was to assist.
“We all sprinted over there and it’s funny because we each had a little assignment,” Sims noted. “Chlup was tasked with getting bandages, I stayed with the elderly man, and Dom helped guide the paramedics to our location. It was a group effort.”
As the gravity of the situation set in, Chlup’s instincts took over. He ran a quarter-mile to fetch additional help and bandages from a nearby building.
“If you see a person on the ground with their head bleeding, you’re going to want to help,” Chlup said. “Our first reaction was to run over there, and once I realized what was needed, I kept running for help.”
Chlup’s actions didn’t surprise anyone.
“That’s 10 out of 10, that’s who Chlup is,” Sims said. “He’s a great clubhouse guy and a great person. Dom and I weren’t surprised by what he did. That’s just who he is, how he was raised, the kind of person he is.”
The triad’s intervention likely made a significant impact, and the Lake Country management took note.
“You would think that any of us would come across a situation like that and want to help, but that isn’t always the case,” DockHounds manager Ken Huckaby said. “It made me proud to see three young men in our organization step up and assist someone in need.”
“Honestly, when bringing players in, I’d rather have a high-character, medium-talent guy than a high-talent, low-character guy because those high-character individuals build culture, and culture is how you win games.”
The praise extended beyond the clubhouse. DockHounds owner Tom Kelenic also expressed his admiration for the honorable act.
“I mean, as an organization, that’s what you want to see—guys who help, regardless of the severity,” Kelenic said. “Whether it’s a fallen biker or a struggling player, the good people in the clubhouse are what we look for. We always strive to bring in good people, and those three certainly proved that.”
