Pastor Dies of Heart Attack While Shoveling Snow During Frigid Temps Pushed by 'Polar Vortex'
The death of a Michigan pastor is being blamed, in part, to subfreezing temperatures that have swept through the Midwest and the major heart attack he suffered while shoveling snow on Sunday.
Marc Dalton, 58, pastor of Lakecrest Baptist Church in Waterford, Mich., was reportedly outside his home when he died, not long after arriving from preaching his last sermon.
"Our church family is deeply saddened with the home-going of our pastor, Marc Dalton, as he went to be with the Lord Sunday night on Jan. 5, following the evening service," says a message posted on the church's website.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Although the correlation between the cold weather and Dalton's cardiovascular health can seem ambiguous, the American Heart Association explaines the relationship between the two.
"People who are outdoors in cold weather should avoid sudden exertion, like lifting a heavy shovel full of snow. Even walking through heavy, wet snow or snow drifts can strain a person's heart," says the organization on their site.
It is unknown whether Dalton had any type of heart disease, however, the AHA says those who do, tend to suffer from chest pain and discomfort when they're in cold weather. Furthermore, studies suggest that brutal winter weather oftentimes increases a person's risk of heart attack.
Prior to his passing, Dalton, whose memorial service will take place on Friday, took to his Twitter account and posted one of his last tweets regarding the heavy snow that had fallen the night before, indicating that it was minor in comparison to how much it was snowing at the time he updated his timeline.
"We were hammered with snow during night & it was just a warm-up of what it's doing now-But The Lord met with us & we had a great service!!!," he wrote.
On Sunday, officials in the Midwest warned of "life-threatening" temperatures before a dangerous blast of polar air made its way throughout the entire region, moving in a snow storm that was blamed for several other deaths including three car accidents in Michigan.
The effects of the so-called polar vortex were the worst weather conditions the region had experienced in two decades. Throughout the country, 21 cold-weather deaths were blamed on the same frigid temperatures as they spread to parts of the south and East Coast earlier this week.
By Wednesday, the Midwest was beginning to emerge from the deep freeze with temperatures near or above freezing. Waterford, Mich., alone experienced 14 degree weather.
