Obese flier turned away from airlines; dies overseas

lizziebeth1028

This is a truly sad story. I feel for sorry for her family, how heartbreaking. I am however confused as to why the couple persisted on trying to get her on a flight instead of to a hospital where her condition could have been treated and possibly stabilized. I know she wanted to get home to the US to see her Doctors but it seems there was some bad decision making on the couples part. In fact...perhaps she was too ill to make the original trip overseas in the first place.

Although the airlines could have acted more compassionately and humane. Ultimately it was her decisions that lead to her demise.

**added phrase 'in the first place'

WeekndOVOXO

They better not win the case.

maab_connor

How did she get over there in the first place? Assuming there were no problems flying over there, why such a mix up flying back?

Thinking they have a pretty good case against the airline that allowed her to fly away from home but would not fly her back--inconsistent refusal of service = discrimation on what was clearly a disability.

Overweight isn't considered a disability for flying.
You also assume she was the same weight when she flew there.
Different planes have different equipment onboard as well.

kidney disease, diabetic and an amputee. THAT is what classifies her as disabled. regardless of her weight.

Diabetes is a disability???

Anyways, even if you have every disability in the book, they can prevent you from flying if they feel you are a safety risk to the others. A 425lb person not secured in a plane = safety risk.

dependant on the severity, yes. some diabetics classify as disabled.

the reason the case will likely settle though, is that they flew the same woman out of the country.

emtjmac

Woooooooooow.... given that this is MFP, I was expecting outrage, as is appropriate given the circumstances. If Kevin Smith had died due to not being able to get home because that airline refused him clearance to fly (and he isn't even that big), there would be a world wide uproar and a change in the procedures. That woman was a human being, with the right to live, be allowed to leave the country that allowed her clearance to enter in the first place, and see her physicians who might have been able to save her, knowing her conditions, and the airline that had NO TROUBLE taking her away from her doctors, should have returned her. Anyone saying 'there are doctors in Europe,' go watch the documentary Chernobyl Heart and watch the maternity ward footage. Hospitals are NOT the same.

All of you responding that she 'killed herself,' (given that I was once 290 pounds and have now lost over 100 pounds) I beg to ****ing differ. It is never too late to make changes, it is never too late to decide to get healthy...until an airline denies you the ability to seek medical care at home. She was not given such an opportunity to reach such a stage and that IS the airlines' fault. They hauled her *kitten* there, they should have hauled her *kitten* back. PERIOD! Law suit handled.

And seriously, I've heard there's a lot of negative, trolling and bashing on this site (which is for people JUST LIKE HER to find support), but I'd never personally encountered it. Well, open my eyes. Here it all is.

I'm sorry (actually no I'm not) but this is completely ignorant. One documentary showing one bad maternity ward does is not proof that Europe doesn't have standard medical care. Are you serious????? She was in an area that COULD and WOULD have provided her medical care. SHE REFUSED because she wanted to see her own doctors in America.

And congratulations on your weight loss, but just because you did it does NOT mean "everyone can make a choice" to change and "it's never too late." As a nurse I have worked with many patients in her condition... do you really think as an incredibly sick amputee with comorbidities she could just create an MFP account and turn her life around?!?!?! Absolutely not!!! She would need strict medical attention and serious help to start a diet, let alone exercising. You have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what you are talking about here.

And just because one airline had a seat and extender for her, does NOT mean that ALL PLANES are equipped to deal with morbidly obese patients on death's door. The airlines owe her absolutely nothing... it's not like the airlines kidnapped her overseas! She chose to fly in the first place. No one is responsible for getting her home but herself.

Amen, thank you for saying it so I didn't have to.

Danny_Boy13

How did she get over there in the first place? Assuming there were no problems flying over there, why such a mix up flying back?

Thinking they have a pretty good case against the airline that allowed her to fly away from home but would not fly her back--inconsistent refusal of service = discrimation on what was clearly a disability.

How is the airline to know if she is going home as for good or going on vacation??? I mean the computers know because of the tickets bought, but the people boarding her... they are not gong to know who is going there one way and who is coming back. So to them they know no difference.

ukstarlight05

I've read several articles on this. If she was in that poor of health then she should not have gone overseas for what was quoted as "several weeks." Also, she refused to seek medical care while overseas. She dug her own grave.

The airlines are not to blame for her death. She let herself get in that poor of health... there is NO reason why she was over 425 pounds because of kindey failure and diabeites. Even if she was on strong medications that cause weight gain, it was her responsibility to seek other opinions, see a nutritionist/dietician, and/or hire a personal trainer. It is ridiculous she was too large for the plastic wheelchair offered to her in the airport and for the seatbelt extenders, and that she went on such a long vacation in a country where she didn't trust the medical professional.

Ivian_

If she couldn't fit in a row of airline seats, what kind of vehicle was able to accommodate her? Riddle me that!

NiSan12

The only people who will benefit from this are the scumbag attorneys. The airlines will settle with the family and pass their losses onto the consumer.

This is most llikely what will happen.

ironanimal

I'm still confused why she didn't just go to a hospital in Europe... most of ours (as far as I'm aware) are free...

Cupcakehippiemommy

Truly, I agree that it is not the airline's fault, but her husband is likely to win the case anyway. :frown:

If he does win the case, what kind of precedent will that set? Obese people will have an even harder time flying now...Regardless the woman died and that is horrible no matter what the cause was

NormalSaneFLGuy

Woooooooooow.... given that this is MFP, I was expecting outrage, as is appropriate given the circumstances. If Kevin Smith had died due to not being able to get home because that airline refused him clearance to fly (and he isn't even that big), there would be a world wide uproar and a change in the procedures. That woman was a human being, with the right to live, be allowed to leave the country that allowed her clearance to enter in the first place, and see her physicians who might have been able to save her, knowing her conditions, and the airline that had NO TROUBLE taking her away from her doctors, should have returned her. Anyone saying 'there are doctors in Europe,' go watch the documentary Chernobyl Heart and watch the maternity ward footage. Hospitals are NOT the same.

All of you responding that she 'killed herself,' (given that I was once 290 pounds and have now lost over 100 pounds) I beg to ****ing differ. It is never too late to make changes, it is never too late to decide to get healthy...until an airline denies you the ability to seek medical care at home. She was not given such an opportunity to reach such a stage and that IS the airlines' fault. They hauled her *kitten* there, they should have hauled her *kitten* back. PERIOD! Law suit handled.

And seriously, I've heard there's a lot of negative, trolling and bashing on this site (which is for people JUST LIKE HER to find support), but I'd never personally encountered it. Well, open my eyes. Here it all is.

I'm sorry (actually no I'm not) but this is completely ignorant. One documentary showing one bad maternity ward does is not proof that Europe doesn't have standard medical care. Are you serious????? She was in an area that COULD and WOULD have provided her medical care. SHE REFUSED because she wanted to see her own doctors in America.

And congratulations on your weight loss, but just because you did it does NOT mean "everyone can make a choice" to change and "it's never too late." As a nurse I have worked with many patients in her condition... do you really think as an incredibly sick amputee with comorbidities she could just create an MFP account and turn her life around?!?!?! Absolutely not!!! She would need strict medical attention and serious help to start a diet, let alone exercising. You have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what you are talking about here.

And just because one airline had a seat and extender for her, does NOT mean that ALL PLANES are equipped to deal with morbidly obese patients on death's door. The airlines owe her absolutely nothing... it's not like the airlines kidnapped her overseas! She chose to fly in the first place. No one is responsible for getting her home but herself.

Amen, thank you for saying it so I didn't have to.

You are acting like she had no say in her situation.
She chose to go on vacation. She chose the length and location of the vacation. She chose a place where she would not want medical treatment. She refused available medical treatment. She then waited to the last possible moment to leave in time to receive life saving treatment, leaving no room for problems such as bad weather. If she had been boarded and got delayed due to bad weather, she would also have died. It was bad planning.

Kathy_TheVampireSlayer

who ****ing cares ,, for real, but bless her soul, i care about her and her family.. she was going to die at home or somewhere else , but the airline companies should pay, and give extra out to everyone for being corrupt overly rich tards. :drinker: Down with the Man!

pickledginger

When did obesity become a disability?

She had those diseases because of her obesity

Why should we have to accomodate this?

Oh, when did you get access to her full medical record?

I don't know how or why she became ill, but I do know that I was very fit until I became disabled -- and I know dozens of other people for whom that also is true.

summertime_girl

How did the plane, that couldn't return her to the US, take her overseas?

MemphisKitten

I can't even imagine how humiliating that must have been, but she had these health problems before traveling. The fact that she passed away wasn't the airlines fault, but they did not treat her properly so I suppose a law suit is in order.

xMonroeMisfit

Back to the point of this thread:

I believe it was the own woman's fault. She shouldve taken her self to a hospital (because ANY medical attention is better than NONE or/and NOT Have flied and waited until she was in better health to fly) IF the airline did all it could to accomodate her, than why are these money hungry people trying to sue? I put myself in the position of the other people on board those flights. I wouldn't want an obese man or woman, no matter HOW much he or she weighs, to sit unrestrained in the same aircraft as myself and/or my children. If something were to happen, that would be a death sentence for everyone in that plane instantly. I feel like people forget how dangerous heavy objects are if unrestrained and heading right to you. I am 135 lbs and I would NEVER ask a plane to seat me unrestrained...and I am SURE they wouldnt allow me to fly if I refused to wear a seatbelt.

What's next? Suing the physicians who cleared her to fly?

NormalSaneFLGuy

How did the plane, that couldn't return her to the US, take her overseas?

this question has been asked and aswered 20+ times in this topic.

Sox90716

who ****ing cares ,, for real, she was going to die at home or somewhere else , but the airline companies should pay, and give extra out to everyone for being corrupt overly rich tards. :drinker: Down with the Man!

And who exactly qualifies as the Man?

half_moon

I can't even imagine how humiliating that must have been, but she had these health problems before traveling. The fact that she passed away wasn't the airlines fault, but they did not treat her properly so I suppose a law suit is in order.

What exactly do you suggest they should have done that they hadn't already attempted?

00Melyanna00

Looks like a lot of people in here lost their humanity and compassion together with the fat and weight.
A person died far away from home, and you don't find this sad at all, FFS?

It goes without saying that this is a sad circumstance. It doesn't mean that everyone needs to open their post with condolences and stating of the obvious.

Not saying everybody should state the obvious and open their posts with condolences at all, but maybe try to be respectful and avoid comments like "400 pounds over weight fat piece of c***" or avoid writing a single line of text just saying she basically deserved to die.