Passengers & Crew Save 11-Month-Old Baby Having Seizure On Flight
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April 30, 2019
Flying with a baby isn't easy, and we unfortunately hear a lot about the airline passengers who make it even more stressful for moms and dads. But when Janay Flowers' 11-month-old daughter Neveah suffered a seizure on an American Airlines flight last week, her fellow passengers jumped into action and helped save the little girl's life.
In an Instagram post, Flowers publicly thanked "all of the passengers and flight crew" who helped them during a flight from Tampa, Florida to Dallas, Texas. She explained that about 10 minutes before the plane was scheduled to land, Neveah had a febrile seizure, which is a frightening but common type of seizure often brought on by a high fever. Flowers "did not have a clue what to do but cry out for help," but two fellow passengers—one of whom was a registered nurse—rushed over to help.
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Neveah "was burning up," and the passengers quickly took her onesie off. "They called out for any doctors on the plane and about 3-4 additional people came running to help also," Flowers recalled. "All of these people worked diligently to cool my baby down while she was having a seizure."
It was "the scariest moment" of her life, Flowers said, but she and Neveah were in good hands. "One man went to the front of the plane to ensure that the EMS was at the gate as soon as we landed. Another man got an oxygen tank and administered it to Nevaeh. Another man was taking her pulse," she said. "As soon as our plane landed, we all rushed to the front of the plane while they grabbed all of my belongings."
When the plane landed at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the paramedics were waiting and ready for Neveah. She was rushed to the emergency room at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Grapevine in Grapevine, Texas, where the "nurses and doctors took great care of my baby and made her better," Flowers said.
RELATED: What to Know About Febrile Seizures
In a statement to Parents.com, a spokesperson for American Airlines said: "We are grateful that Nevaeh is doing better and wish her and her family the best. This medical emergency last week highlights the tremendous care and professionalism of American's team members, and specifically, in this situation, our flight attendants and DFW team. We are proud of our colleagues and are grateful to them and our customers, who also stepped up to help a family in need, for their quick actions."
But the story doesn't end there: On Tuesday, Flowers posted an update on social media to say "happy" Neveah was "doing well" and that she was able to connect with the "two angels" who helped her little girl.
Tiffany, a registered nurse, and her boyfriend, Alvin, saw the story on Fox News and found Flowers on Facebook. They have all since FaceTimed, and Tiffany told Flowers even more details about her baby's frightening experience.
"She told me that Nevaeh stopped breathing on that plane and she was about to start doing CPR. Tiffany turned Nevaeh to her side and pulled her tongue out of her throat to clear her airway," Flowers said. "She didn't want to freak me out more, so she didn't say it while it was happening." The nurse also told Flowers it didn't look like little Nevaeh was going to survive.
"It was mind-blowing to hear all that Nurse Tiffany and others did, and how she kept calm and was aware enough to not cause complete chaos on that flight," Flowers told Parents.com. "She is a super woman! I am so thankful to Nurse Tiffany and Alvin for all they did.
And this grateful mama will soon have a chance to thank Tiffany and Alvin in person. According to Flowers, the heroic couple "are even making plans to attend Nevaeh's first birthday party next month!"
