Obese flier turned away from airlines; dies overseas
Options
Replies
-
What in the hell is wrong with you people? I know I would never say anything like that about another person let alone in a community that is supposed to help people with that very same problem. Were you all gorgeous and skinny when you started on here? I doubt it.
She wasn't DOING ANYTHING to get healthy. Her family is now blaming an innocent company for HER health problems that led to her death. People in this community ARE here to get healthy. What don't some of you get about that?
You know nothing of her choices, or the changes she may have chosen to make since losing her limbs. Your judgment is yours to make, but it is not an educated judgment. I would love to discover her MFP profile announcing the pride of having lost fifty pounds before traveling... You don't know any better than I.0 -
I ran into a similar situation years ago. I was excited to finally see "Honk If You're Horny" at the local movie theater. You might remember it, starring Faye Dunaway and Pauly Shore.
When I asked for my ticket, the kid at the window said that he had to check with the manager first. So, then, the manager comes over and tells me, "I'm terribly sorry, sir, but I'm afraid our facilities are not equipped to meet your needs."
:huh:
When I asked what he meant by that, he replied, "What I'm saying, sir, is that a man of your carriage couldn't possibly fit in our seats." I offered to sit in the aisle, but he said that it would violate the fire code.
Then, some guy standing by the door yelled, "Hey, Fatty! I've got a movie for ya: A Fridge Too Far!" as everyone outside the theater began to laugh at me. The manager sensed my rising anger, and tried to placate me with a free garbage bag full of popcorn. Before leaving with what little dignity I had remaining, I told him, "This may surprise you, but you can't buy me off with food. I'm sick of all your stereotypes and cheap jokes! The overweight individuals in this country are just as smart and talented and hard working as everybody else. And they're going to make their voices heard!"
Today, my voice is heard, here on MyFitnessPal.
I'm onto you.0 -
Just as a side note... we really don't know what happened. We only know what the media wants us to know and they will say/print anything to sell a story. There was a time I thought the media was accountable for telling the truth and making sure their facts were correct. After going through a bad/emotional and very public experience as a family, I quickly realized how wrong I was. Direct quotes were taken and put in a context that totally changed the meaning. Wrong information was stated on the radio, in newpapers and on TV. (They could not even get the family connections right!!!)
Just be aware of this as you make your opinions known. We don't have all of the facts. Truthfully, there may not be anything correct in the article. The names might even be wrong and the "husband" might actually be her Uncle for all we know.0 -
I think it all falls upon poor planning. If you have a severe medical issue that requires dialysis... why would you wait until the last moment to fly out? Due to weather conditions when traveling internationally, I've been stranded in airports well over 2 days, multiple times. She had a diagnosis prior to her trip and she should have left a larger window for getting home for her necessary medical treatment. Also, the US isn't the only country with dialysis machines...
At the end of the day, many people file stupid lawsuits, but that doesn't mean they will win.0 -
^^^^^ Quoting because both are extremely true.being unable to accommodate her and being unwilling to accommodate her are two very different things. they tried. they tried to accommodate her. in every instance, they exhausted their options. people cannot expect the world to guarantee them what they need in exactly the way they need it at all times and in all places. it would be nice if the world worked that way, but it just isn't possible.
all airlines (and all businesses) can do is try to anticipate what their customers will need. this doesn't mean that they will be able to succeed at all times, especially when confronted with a one-in-100-million customer who falls so far out of the bell curve that she required highly specialized equipment just to get her on a plane.
the airline didn't kill this woman. her poor health did.
I totally agree with your comment. It is not just a question of seatbelt extenders or purchasing two seats. We are talking about a long flight here, from one continent to another. I read the articles about this woman. She was not freely mobile. How was she to move through the aisles to get to the rest room? How was she to use the restroom? Would her moving about the plane cause other passangers to be inconvenienced? She was diabetic & in renal failure. Why would you knowingly risk your life to take a trip of this nature? Would a doctor actually give his approval for a trip like this? I personally feel the responsibility lies on her & her husband for making poor choices.0 -
I used to work for an airline (was a gate agent). Boarding disabled persons can be very difficult especially if they are large and not mobile. They have to be wheeled down the jetway in a regular wheelchair, transferred to a 'straight-back' wheelchair that will fit down the aisle and airline employees have to then lift the person physically into their seat. I have no clue if that was what they attempted to do here and couldn't or what the circumstances were. But I have witnessed some passengers *almost* get seriously injured trying to get seated and at least one large disabled man was denied boarding because even recruiting baggage handlers to help lift him, we could not get him seated, because a whole group of us couldn't get him out of the straightback from such an awkward position.
I can only imagine how frustrating and embarrassing this is, but you can't just blame the airline, I can think of a million reasons how this might have happened. She could have gone to the doctor where she was if she was feeling that ill.
As for the person above who was injured with no leg room, only people who can assist in an emergency get the exit-row seats. Airline (and where I worked, the employee) will be fined if you put a child, disabled person, non-native speaker, whatever in that row. If that was the only choice for extra leg room on your flight, your injury may be why you weren't seated there.0 -
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 agree !
Not exactly sure why you are making it sound like the airline kidnapped her and took her overseas but that's a funny way to look at it.
tl;dr for the rest of this thread, it dissolved into mush before I even got here. RIP to the lady. Take good care of yourselves to the best of your abilities. Let's take a walk or a jog in honor of this lady's life.0 -
At least you aren't an incorrect *kitten*?
:laugh: :laugh:0 -
Soutpark summed it up in a recent episode.0
-
The bottom line here is that she died of her morbid obesity, not because she was not able to physically board a plane. No one but me is responsible for my weight. I am the sole owner of that problem and hold the ability to do something about it, even if it where to be something small. She was an amputee likely because of uncontrolled diabetes. It sounds like she took no responsibility in taking care of herself. It sounds like she would have died in any case whether she was here in the United States or overseas where she did die. And medical help may not have even saved her. Maybe she did seek it and it was too late.0
-
Oh wow, this post has been hilarious! So many people are using it to pass the buck and dwell in self pity!0
-
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.
Not really, as terms of use the airline on their own can decide for whatever reason to void your ticket and refund you your money.
Just because you bought the ticket does not guarantee your seat. In fact I don't know about america, but it is also common to overbook airplanes, and then offer money to stay for later flight etc or upgrade etc if everyone makes it.
Also it is NOT the airlines mandate to ensure you receive medical care at your own country. If your going that route, then blame the american embassy. That is what they would have handled.
Also, medically speaking? Doctors are all trained the same, and try the same to save lives.
Conditions might change your opinion, but last I checked, some people fly specifically to Europe for treatments. Not many to US.0 -
I think the air line companies should just give everyone some money ., personally0
-
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.
Would you prefer she died on the plane? That is a definite possibility. The woman was very sick - even before discussing her weight. An extremely long flight is not safe for many medical conditions. The airline did not deny her the right to seek medical care. They could not safely get her back into the plane. I don't know if she gained weight while overseas, was trying to return on a smaller plane or what the actual circumstances were, but the airline made its best effort. They do have the right to deny anyone the ability to board.Heck, they deny people for how they are dressed and for appearing intoxicated.0 -
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 agree !the airline that had NO TROUBLE taking her away from her doctors, should have returned her.
SERIOUSLY. You think they "took her away" from her doctors? And although she probably gained weight while in Hungary they STILL need to accommodate, even though they used an entire fire brigade team to attempt it?? Also, when she was accommodated with ANOTHER plane, with THREE SEATS, and she couldn't get in them...
Seriously? What else do you expect them to do??
How many excuses can you make up for someone that a) should not have been traveling in the first place with such a horrible medical condition, b) should have sought another hospital, or c) - no, wait, yeah, just a) and b) is all I need.
Not saying I don't feel bad for her and the burden of grief her husband now has.
But come on. They did what they could. The woman should have never been traveling.0 -
Being someone with something similar to a kidney disease myself, she should have been showing symptoms. Believe me, those symptoms do not like to hide. She could have at least gone to a nearby hospital and have everything evaluated. So yes, her death was possibly her fault.What in the hell is wrong with you people? I know I would never say anything like that about another person let alone in a community that is supposed to help people with that very same problem. Were you all gorgeous and skinny when you started on here? I doubt it.
She wasn't DOING ANYTHING to get healthy. Her family is now blaming an innocent company for HER health problems that led to her death. People in this community ARE here to get healthy. What don't some of you get about that?
Trying to board an international flight to see doctors for an illness that was severe enough to have taken her limbs and distended her belly... yeah, she wasn't doing a damn thing to better her health, I'm SURE. As you seem so clearly sure, I didn't realize we had people on the site that knew her personally and were keeping track of her dietary pursuits enough to call judgments on her activ... OH ****! That's right. We don't.
Even if she was LITERALLY STUFFING HER FACE WITH PIE the whole time she was away, she is a human being. Plain and simple. Your eating habits make you more worthy of living apparently.
On the other hand. Could the airlines have done something more to make it safe for her and others to fly back? Of course.
Did the airline kill her though? No.0 -
OMG the people who have replied to this sound cruel.
i'm sorry, but posters are being exactly the same way they are when a person asks any other question on a MFP forum: some are blatantly honest (and come across as cold), some are sympathetic, some are sarcastic, some are turning it around and making it about themselves, and there's always one person who has to take the response to totally inappropriate levels of crassness.
being empathetic about someone's death (which i am) does not mean that one has to suddenly change their views on fitness or frivolous law suits or personal responsibility for one's own body. the people who are 400 lbs and on MFP are here because they have decided to change what they know is an unhealthy situation. they are here to take personal responsibility for their health so that they can take their lives back. did this woman deserve to die? no, of course not. it is terrible that she died before she had a chance to do what so many people on this site are doing for themselves, yes, it is. but those airlines are not to blame for her death. years and years of poor health, obesity, and the diseases that are caused by obesity are to blame for her death.0 -
Agreed.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.
Not really, as terms of use the airline on their own can decide for whatever reason to void your ticket and refund you your money.
Just because you bought the ticket does not guarantee your seat. In fact I don't know about america, but it is also common to overbook airplanes, and then offer money to stay for later flight etc or upgrade etc if everyone makes it.
Also it is NOT the airlines mandate to ensure you receive medical care at your own country. If your going that route, then blame the american embassy. That is what they would have handled.
Also, medically speaking? Doctors are all trained the same, and try the same to save lives.
Conditions might change your opinion, but last I checked, some people fly specifically to Europe for treatments. Not many to US.
Also, I like Kevin Smith, but if he died in that situation... NOTHING would change because the specifics speak for themselves. There are guidelines in place for safety. If you can't comply with those guidelines, find a way to. Don't blame the airline for taking their guidelines seriously. The woman created her own situation. That is not trolling, it is fact.0 -
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.0 -
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 agree !the airline that had NO TROUBLE taking her away from her doctors, should have returned her.
SERIOUSLY. You think they "took her away" from her doctors? And although she probably gained weight while in Hungary they STILL need to accommodate, even though they used an entire fire brigade team to attempt it?? Also, when she was accommodated with ANOTHER plane, with THREE SEATS, and she couldn't get in them...
Seriously? What else do you expect them to do??
How many excuses can you make up for someone that a) should not have been traveling in the first place with such a horrible medical condition, b) should have sought another hospital, or c) - no, wait, yeah, just a) and b) is all I need.
Not saying I don't feel bad for her and the burden of grief her husband now has.
But come on. They did what they could. She woman should have never been traveling.
In the article it even says the woman drove with her husband to a different airport. How come she didn't take a pit stop at a dialysis clinic?0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 392K Introduce Yourself
- 43.6K Getting Started
- 259.8K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.7K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 402 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.8K Motivation and Support
- 7.9K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.4K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 998 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.4K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions