NFL Star Heroically Steps In When Fellow Passenger Has Medical Emergency During Flight
Ravens tight end Mark Andrews stepped in Thursday morning when a passenger on his Southwest flight to Phoenix from Baltimore experienced a medical emergency.
Fellow passenger Andrew Springs posted about the event on his X account, calling the event “genuinely scary.”
A woman on my @southwest flight from Baltimore to Phoenix this morning had a mid-flight medical emergency. The doctor and nurse attending to her couldn’t find a strong pulse, her blood pressure was extremely low, and required oxygen to breathe. It was genuinely scary. (1/3)
— Andrew Springs (@NaturalSprings) February 1, 2024
Springs explained that the medical professionals assisting the female passenger were unable to identify the cause behind her dropping vital signs. And then Andrews stepped in with an idea.
A man in the aisle seat popped up, “Could it be her blood sugar? I have a diabetic testing kit.”
It was @Ravens TE Mark Andrews.
Andrews instructed the medical professionals (equal citizen heroes in this story) on using his test kit. Eventually her heart-rate stabilized. (2/3)
— Andrew Springs (@NaturalSprings) February 1, 2024
It wasn’t clear whether low blood sugar was, in fact, the cause of the woman’s distress, but Andrews not only volunteered the use of his testing kit, but also helped the doctor and nurse working with the woman to administer it.
“As he has done is whole career,” Springs wrote, “[Andrews] stepped up in a huge moment when people needed him most. Watching complete strangers spring into action to help save someone’s life is truly amazing.”
Paramedics met the flight as soon as we landed. Andrews deplaned quietly. No fanfare. As he has done his whole career, he stepped up in a huge moment when people needed him most.
Watching complete strangers spring into action to help save someone’s life is truly amazing. (3/3)
— Andrew Springs (@NaturalSprings) February 1, 2024
The three-time Pro Bowler issued a statement through the Ravens’ X account calling the woman’s doctor and nurse the “real heroes.”
Statement from TE @Mandrews_81. pic.twitter.com/fkWsUzIUBB
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) February 1, 2024
“In addition to the fast-acting flight attendants, the real heroes are the nurse and doctor who also happened to be on the plane,” he said. “Thankfully they were able to provide the woman the quick assistance she needed.”
According to NFL.com, the 28-year-old tight end was only 9 when he was first diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
“He’s been unhindered by the disease, though, rising to the top of the ranks at his position,” the organization wrote in 2018 prior to Andrews being drafted by the Ravens in the third round.
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