Sick Woman Saved On NYC-Bound Flight By Married Doctors

A CBS News producer happened to be on a flight to Laguardia from Atlanta when an 86-year-old fell ill. Luckily, the plane was apparently chock full of doctors and she was saved by a pair of doctors heading to see the Thanksgiving Day Parade! Neurologist Tom Devlin (who was wearing his scrubs) checked out the lady, who apparently had a seizure, heart attack or stroke, during the Wednesday flight. He said she was “Without a pulse, not breathing, completely comatose in her chair... It was clear this was a potential life and death situation," and consulted with his cardiologist wife, Dr. Carol Gruver who then revived the woman.

Gruver told WCBS 2 she did do with "really some minimal resuscitative efforts like raising her legs, putting her down, giving her oxygen, she came back but she was still not in a good way." The flight was diverted to Richmond, so the woman would be taken to a hospital (she's now recovering). Devlin said, "We just did what we do everyday. We’re just glad it looked like it had a very happy ending." He and his wife, who were visiting NYC to take their son to the parade, also "said [the incident is] an excellent reminder that everyone should learn CPR, because you can’t always count on doctors being on a flight." However, on this particular flight, one passenger said on FlyerTalk.com, "When [flight attendant] called for doctors, literally six doctors came forward."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on November 26, 2010 12:15 PM

Comments [rss]

wow 14th street

Wait till that patient gets their bill,another heart

attack,coming.

I only say this lightheartedly cause I just received

a bill for almost $4.000.00 from a NYC ER for a drainage

of puss from an infected tooth,I could have saved myself

money if i were told in advance what this would have cost

me.

danny.12345

did the old lady sign one of those medical liability indemnification forms?

dadoc

With everything Docs are going through these days, taking a pat on the back, even if you were just (volunteering) doing what you do, is fine with me. And I have some old scrubs from closed hospitals that I have used at the beach, for PJ's etc. They never go near a patient. And based on the Infectious Disease thing, doctors should never wear ties. Don't believe everything Med School and the AMA tried to inflict on you.

Nothing wrong with these Docs, good save.

whoknewit

Do we really still ask for "doctors" to come forward? If I were down, I dont think i'd be looking for a doctor of optometry or psychiatry, but hey, maybe i would be?

At least these two knew what they were doing.

aydiosmio

Now, there will be eighteen gothamist comments criticizing me for being so picky and for being critical of these doctors for submitting to interviews.

No just me, calling you out on the hypocrisy of praising one person for "us[ing] their knowledge and skills to assist a person in crisis" and condemning another.

A TV producer's knowledge and skills are in the collection and dissemination of news. He did his job. His capture and reporting of this event will likely help raise awareness for emergency preparedness.

famdoc

That CBS producer was really out of line filming a medical emergency.

The physician-couple did what they should do in such a situation: use their knowledge and skills to assist a person in crisis. Their efforts are commendable. Part of me wishes, however, that they had declined to be interviewed after the event. Would have been a bit more humble.

Hate to be picky, but health care people should not wear scrubs outside of the hospital: they can carry infectious agents.

Now, there will be eighteen gothamist comments criticizing me for being so picky and for being critical of these doctors for submitting to interviews.