By Steve Neavling
A TSA officer is credited with potentially saving the life of a sick passenger at Boston Logan International Airport.
Lead Transportation Security Officer Ifeoma Onuorah noticed that a passenger in a wheelchair did not look well at a checkpoint and asked if “she was alright,” the TSA said in a news release.
Worried about the passenger, who was perspiring and appeared “clammy,” Onuorah checked on the passenger again after she left the checkpoint and found her “crying and hunched over on the floor.”
Again, the passenger said she was fine.
But Onuorah knew something was wrong. She saw the passenger standing near a water fountain and noticed she looked “extremely pale.”
Onuorah called for help.
“She did not appear OK to me,” Onuorah said.
Emergency medical personnel arrived and discovered the passenger’s blood pressure was “dangerously low.” She was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, where she remained for three days.
“I had no idea at the time that her condition was dire,” Onuorah said.
Federal Security Director Bob Allison commended Onuorah for making sure the passenger received medical attention.
“The actions of LTSO Onuorah highlight the dynamic posture our frontline employees possess,” Allison said. “Her actions speak volumes and provide a positive example to the public that our employees are committed to their safety and well-being. We are incredibly fortunate to have LTSO Onuorah as part of our team and grateful for her actions and leadership.”
The passenger said Onuorah saved her life.
“So many people think negatively of TSA,” the passenger said. “That is not accurate. TSA can be lifesavers.”
