Current:Home > Contact-usHe collapsed in 103 degree heat working his Texas UPS route. Four days later he was dead.-LoTradeCoin
He collapsed in 103 degree heat working his Texas UPS route. Four days later he was dead.
View Date:2024-12-23 23:24:56
A UPS delivery driver who recently collapsed on his route while working in scorching North Texas heat has died, his employer confirmed Thursday.
Chris Begley, a 28-year UPS veteran, died at a hospital Sunday − four days after he suffered a medical emergency at a delivery location he worked in the city of Farmersville, according to information from local officials and UPS.
Farmersville is in Collin and Hunt counties about 50 miles northeast of Dallas.
"We are saddened by the loss of our driver... and extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends," UPS released in a statement to USA TODAY Thursday. "We are cooperating with the authorities as they continue investigating the cause of death."
While the 57-year-old man's cause of death was not immediately known, the high temperature in the nearby Dallas area was 103 the day he collapsed, according to the National Weather Service.
A Collin County Medical Examiner's Office spokesperson said the coroner was notified about Begley's death but did not conduct his autopsy.
A Farmersville Police Department officer told USA TODAY foul play was not suspected in the man's death, and because Begley died at the hospital, his family will likely decide whether an autopsy is conducted.
Utah heat stroke death:Texas man on trip to spread dad's ashes dies of heat stroke in Utah's Arches National Park
Who was Christopher Begley?
UPS spokesperson Becky Biciolis said Begley worked out of UPS' McKinney, Texas facility. She confirmed he lived in that same city.
According to a fundraising page created by his coworker, Brandon Menefee, Begley was "a loving husband" who had two children and hoped to retire within the next several years.
"Begley was looking forward to retirement after giving 28 years to the company," Menefee wrote on the page he made to help Bergley's family with funeral costs.
Protect yourself from extreme heat:4 expert tips to keep you and your family cool
A collapse in 103 degree heat
On the day he collapsed, the company reported, Begley contacted a supervisor about what happened and they "immediately responded to his location, ensured he had water and was resting in a cool environment."
UPS offered medical attention, which Begley "declined multiple times," Biciolis said. "He told us he had recovered and asked to be taken home."
After being taken home, he took several days off at his own request. Four days later, Biciolis said, UPS learned Begley had been hospitalized.
"On Monday, we were told he had passed away," she said.
A similar reported death in Texas, 68 days earlier
Begley's death came the same week an "oppressive and dangerous' heat wave scorched the central United States.
Before Begley collapsed, the weather service reported excessive heat warnings, heat watches and heat advisories were affecting 18 states including Texas.
His death also came 68 days after a postal worker collapsed and died on his route in Dallas amid extreme heat.
Family members told local Fox 4 Eugene Gates Jr. collapsed on June 20 in a front yard before a homeowner came outside and performed CPR. The day he died, the heat index in the Dallas area reached 115 degrees.
Gates' cause of death has not yet been determined, a Dallas County medical examiner spokesperson told USA TODAY Thursday
“I will believe this until the day I die, that it was heat-related,” Carla Gates told the Associated Press earlier this month.
An exact number of people who have died due to heat-related issues so far this year was not immediately known.
But the CDC said "several hundred people die" due to extreme heat in the US each year, according to the AP.
Tips to stay cool outside on hot days
To stay cool outside on hot days, Dr. Christopher Pullins with the Mayo Clinic recommends the following tips:
- Plan ahead and take water or electrolyte-heavy drinks with you;
- Stay hydrated (drink water);
- Dress appropriately (wear shorts instead of pants if possible);
- Find a shady spot, perhaps under a tree or awning.
What to do if you experience heat exhaustion
According to the weather service, if you feel weak, nauseous, have a headache and body or muscle cramps, you may be experiencing heat exhaustion.
If so, Pullins said drink water, loosen clothing and place cold water in armpits and groin areas.
If you throw up or if symptoms persist, the weather service said, dial 911.
Contributing: Doyle Rice and Josie Goodrich
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior correspondent for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @nataliealund.
veryGood! (8)
Related
- John Krasinski Details Moment He Knew Wife Emily Blunt Was “the One”
- In graphic memoir 'In Limbo,' a Korean American finds healing and humanity
- Why Tatyana Ali Says It Was Crazy Returning to Her Fresh Prince Roots for Bel-Air
- Glossier Just Launched at Sephora With Free Same-Day Delivery— Here's What We're Buying
- Prosecutors say some erroneous evidence was given jurors at ex-Sen. Bob Menendez’s bribery trial
- How U.S., Afghan governments failed to adequately train Afghan security forces after spending $90 billion over 20 years
- Golf allows me to pursue perfection, all while building a community
- Kim Kardashian Asks Late Dad Robert Kardashian Sr. to Visit in a Dream in Heartbreaking Birthday Message
- 12 college students charged with hate crimes after assault in Maryland
- 'The Skin and Its Girl' ponders truths, half-truths, and lies passed down in families
Ranking
- Women suing over Idaho’s abortion ban describe dangerous pregnancies, becoming ‘medical refugees’
- 'Sunshine' centers on a life-changing summer for author Jarrett J. Krosoczka
- Meet the NBA dancers strutting into their Golden years
- Transcript: Trump attorneys Drew Findling and Jennifer Little on Face the Nation, Feb. 26. 2023
- Judith Jamison, acclaimed Alvin Ailey American dancer and director, dead at 81
- 'It's about time': How 'Indian Matchmaking' found love - and success - on Netflix
- Here are all the best looks from the Met Gala 2023
- MTV Movie & TV Awards cancels its live show over writers strike
Recommendation
-
Halle Berry Rocks Sheer Dress She Wore to 2002 Oscars 22 Years Later
-
The fantastical art of Wangechi Mutu: from plant people to a 31-foot snake
-
It Cosmetics Flash Deal: Get $123 Worth of Products for Just $77
-
Transcript: Trump attorneys Drew Findling and Jennifer Little on Face the Nation, Feb. 26. 2023
-
MLS playoff teams set: Road to MLS Cup continues with conference semifinals
-
U.S. requests extradition of Ovidio Guzman, son of El Chapo, Mexico says
-
From Slayer to Tito Puente, drummer Dave Lombardo changes tempo
-
Dozens dead after migrant boat breaks apart off Italian coast