EMS Profile: `Pee Wee` Wilson

It was a fateful, almost fatal morning in 2012 when Anthony Wilson found out the hard way that he had diabetes. Known as “Pee Wee” to family and friends, Tony is an EMS professional and an imposing physical presence at 6 feet, 3 inches and 336 pounds (at his heaviest.)

He was already managing long-term cardiac arrhythmia with medication. He and his wife, Sheila, were helping each other lose weight through walking and the gym. Anthony was losing weight but not feeling better. He was constantly tired and thirsty and had to urinate a lot. He was missing, or ignoring, telltale signs.

That morning, Sheila woke him up and told him he looked sick. He had dark circles under his eyes and his skin was ashen.

“I usually leave for work before he gets up, but something told me to wake him,” Sheila recalls. “It was the grace of God.” She insisted on taking Tony to the hospital.

In the ED, Tony crashed. His heart was racing at 230 beats per minute. His blood pressure collapsed. His blood glucose (1098) and A1C (17.8) were off the charts. His organs were failing. Doctors shocked his heart twice to slow it down before putting him into the ICU.

“The doctor told Sheila I would have been dead in the bed when she got home,” Tony said. The diagnosis: type 2 diabetes. Another doctor told Tony he would need insulin for the rest of his life. 

Tony is always up for a challenge and dived into this one, starting with his diet. Sweet tea was out. Poultry and fish, grilled not fried, replaced red meat. Add in lots of vegetables. He and Sheila doubled down on exercise, riding bikes and walking.

Within months, Tony’s A1C was down to 4.9 and his doctor told him he could go off insulin. In the years since, Tony shed another 100 pounds and maintains his weight in the mid-200s.

He has a pacemaker now to control his arrhythmia and daily medication helps manage his blood pressure and cholesterol. He takes eight pills in the morning and five at night.

“Diabetes doubles my risk for heart disease and stroke,” Tony says. “I wish I could manage it all through a healthy lifestyle, but I know that’s not possible. So, I’m compliant and never skip my medications.”

The month after he was diagnosed, Tony and his family connected with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) about volunteering and “Team Wilson” took off.

Tony is operations manager for Medical Transport LLC in Virginia Beach, Va., a subsidiary of Norfolk, Va.-based Sentara Healthcare. The company celebrated his survival and advocacy by being the first ambulance service in the nation to outfit a truck in ADA livery and put Tony’s name on the door. He shares his health experience with anyone who will listen, especially people of color, who are predisposed to diabetes and hypertension.

Know Diabetes by Heart gives Tony a new platform. It’s a collaboration between the American Diabetes and Heart associations to educate people about the link between type 2 diabetes and heart disease and stroke. Tony is one of seven national ambassadors for 2021.

His EMS experience and personal health battles make Tony a compelling advocate. Convincing one more person to get tested for diabetes or encouraging one more person to take care of their cardiovascular health would be a win.

“Volunteering is a passion now,” he said. “I do this from the heart.”

Dale Gauding is senior communications advisor for Sentara Healthcare, Norfolk, VA.