I saw on ESPN last night about a breaking news story – Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews was flying Southwest from Baltimore to Phoenix when a woman experienced a medical emergency. While not a doctor or a medical professional, Andrews is a Type 1 diabetic and wondered if she might be experiencing a low sugar event. He provided diabetic test strips, which helped the doctor and nurse that were assisting the passenger.
(SEE ALSO: What Are the Odds That a Doctor Is on Board Your Plane?)
Medical Emergency On Board
Mark Andrews, a tight end for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, was traveling on a Southwest flight from Baltimore to Phoenix. About three hours into the flight, passengers noticed a woman sitting in the middle of the plane was not feeling well. After requesting for help, the passenger was being attended to by a doctor and nurse who were also passengers. The passenger had a low heart rate, pulse and blood pressure.
At one point, Andrews asked from his nearby aisle seat if it was possible her blood sugar was low. As a diabetic himself, he had some finger-prick sugar tests, which he gave to the doctor and nurse. They found that her sugar was low, gave her some orange juice, and the woman was able to walk off the plane when it arrived in Phoenix.
The Response
Response has been overwhelmingly positive, as you might imagine
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
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
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
Andrews himself put out a statement via the Ravens PR office
In addition to the fast-acting flight attendants, the real heroes are the nurse and doctor who also happened to be on the plane. Thankfully they were able to provide the woman the quick assistance she needed.
Kudos to the medical professionals onboard and Mark Andrews for helping to potentially save a woman’s life on a recent Southwest Airlines flight.
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
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