A blessed recovery for Jim Tobin

By Gary Larrabee

Gary Larrabee

Miracles do happen. Just ask Jim Tobin, the 27th-year Bellevue Golf Club head professional. The Lynn native is proof-positive after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage on June 1, being placed in a forced coma for three weeks at Massachusetts General Hospital, then, amazingly, returning to his pro shop in Melrose the final week of July.

“Some might call it a miracle, but I call it the work of God,” Tobin, 57, said while resting comfortably at his Lynnfield home, with wife Anne Marie and daughter Abby monitoring his every move. “God had to be watching over me, the way the right people were in the right place at the right time making the correct split-second decisions to treat me that Friday afternoon.”

“That Friday afternoon” at Bellevue was proceeding like any other Friday for Tobin. It was late afternoon and he was marking the course for the weekend tournament. Suddenly, as he hopped back into his golf cart and turned the wheels sharply to move on to his next marking area, his front wheels hit a speed bump, tipping the cart and sent Tobin to the pavement.

“I hit my head on the ground, but I felt OK - a little embarrassed - and got back in the cart,” he remembered. “Seconds later I collapsed. Thankfully I was conscious and I yelled to a couple kids playing tennis nearby. I yelled to them to get Brian Skinner, our course superintendent.

“Fortunately, Brian had been on the first tee working on a sprinkler head and saw me take the first tumble, so he was heading toward me anyway. I was still conscious when Brian arrived and he kept me awake by lifting my head, talking to me so I’d keep breathing OK and keep my eyes open. Turns out Brian saved my life even before some amazing hospital people did the same over the next few hours.”

As he was told weeks later, Tobin, the 2005 and 2006 New England PGA president, was rushed to Melrose-Wakefield Hospital where, as fate would have it, he was treated in the ER by his primary care physician, Dr. Salil Midha, a cardiologist. Some of the hospital ER staff had their doubts Tobin could be saved, but Midha felt otherwise, keeping Tobin reasonably stable while he was rushed to Mass. General.

“Dr. Midha saved my life next,” Tobin said matter-of-factly.

The ER staff at Mass. General got Tobin stabilized further. The next day, Saturday, Tobin was conscious and seemingly recovering in a positive direction, but within 24 hours serious complications surfaced and he was put in an induced coma that lasted 20 days. During this time he endured two surgeries, one a tracheotomoy, the other to clear a blood clot. Remarkably, as hope dimmed day by day during the 20th day of his induced coma, Tobin regained consciousness. He had lost 30 pounds, but was showing signs of recovery.

“God was watching over me with all these wonderful people and my family working and praying for me,” Tobin said.

“It was like someone turned a switch and Jim was awake and conversant,” said his wife, Anne Marie, arguably the greatest women golfer from Massachusetts in the last half-century.

His recovery since waking up will be made into a Harvard School/MGH case study. He was moved to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital June 30, where a staff led by Dr. David Burke had him ready to go home a mere 10 days later.

“I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” Tobin proclaimed. “I couldn’t believe the love and support we’ve gotten from my fellow NEPGA members, my club members, my golf friends and my family. It’s been overwhelming.”

Tobin, a Happy Valley/Larry Gannon GC product, has been regaining his 30 lost pounds gradually but consistently, and, best of all, he began spending a few hours on selected days in the Bellevue pro shop at the end of July. From a man knocking on death’s door, Tobin has made a comeback of which Lazarus would be proud.

“In hindsight, once the complications set in, like the pneumonia and blood clot, everything the doctors and staff did was the right thing to do,” said Anne Marie, who, with her daughter were on a constant vigil at their man’s bedside. “They were forced to do some guesswork in their decision-making process, and they guessed right.”

Anne Marie, the only eight-time Massachusetts Women’s state champion, postponed her plans to make one final go-round on the summer playing circuit to mark her 50th birthday. But that’s fine with her. There’s always next year.

“I just might have Jim caddy for me at the State Amateur at Salem [Country Club],” she quipped.
She won’t care how she plays. Simply having hubby by her side will be the best part of her week.

Gary Larrabee, the author of The Green and Gold Coast: The History of Golf on Boston's North Shore, 1893-2001, has been covering the North Shore/Greater Boston golf scene for 35 years. He has written centennial histories for Salem, Winchester and Wenham Country Clubs. His most recent volume is The Best Care Possible: From Beverly Hospital to Northeast Health System, 1888-2005. His latest book project, the 100-year history of St. John's Prep, will be published in August.