Heart Disease Killed Firefighter
Advanced heart disease killed a popular 34-year-old Orange County firefighter who died suddenly while recuperating from back surgery at Chapman Medical Center in Orange, officials said Monday.
Allen Donalen suffered narrowing of the coronary arteries, and other significant factors contributing but not causing his death were a moderately enlarged heart and two herniated discs, the Orange County coroner’s office concluded after autopsy Monday.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. Sept. 18, 1998 For the Record
Los Angeles Times Friday September 18, 1998 Orange County Edition Metro Part B Page 3 Orange County Focus Desk 1 inches; 24 words Type of Material: Correction
Firefighter--The name of an Orange County Fire Authority firefighter who died Sunday was misspelled in stories Monday and Tuesday. The firefighter is Allen Donelan.
Donalen was a relatively young man who underwent back surgery three weeks earlier for an injury he suffered on the job at the Orange County Fire Department’s Tustin station.
Donalen had surgery Aug. 22 but remained in the hospital recuperating, Chapman spokeswoman Sonoma Van Brunt said, adding that nurses had checked on Donalen about 6 a.m. Sunday and that he was found dead about an hour later.
Donalen’s wife, Cara, and family members are being offered support by the Assn. of Orange County Professional Firefighters and the Orange County Firefighters Benevolent Assn.
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