Quebec, Canada – A Montreal paramedic who spent a good part of what should have been a routine flight to Miami tending to sick passengers was recognized by a major airline for his efforts with a gift of 25,000 frequent flyer miles.
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37 year old Max Lieberman, a member of Hatzolah Montreal, was en route from Quebec to Florida on an American Airlines flight 1353 on Sunday January 5th, when three medical emergencies manifested themselves in quick succession.
“My wife and I were sitting near the front of the plane and there was another Jewish person in the back who knew I was an EMT,” Lieberman told VIN News. “I was taking a nap when he woke me up telling me someone needed help.”
The person in question turned out to be a man in his upper fifties who had fainted. Lieberman sat with the passenger, giving him oxygen for about half an hour, and when it came apparent that the man was feeling better, Lieberman returned to his seat, intent on checking on the passenger in about 15 minutes.
“Five minutes later, they are back again, telling me he has fainted,” said Lieberman. “The flight crew decided to land the plane but I noticed that the man hadn’t fainted, he had just vomited and was feeling better. It seemed like a case of simple indigestion so we decided that an emergency landing wasn’t necessary. I finished stabilizing him and went back to my seat.”
Lieberman, a father of seven, assumed that the rest of the flight would be uneventful, but that was clearly not the case.
“Five minutes later there is a woman near me, clutching her chest,” recalled Lieberman. “Everyone on the plane just turned and looked at me.”
Concerned that the woman was having a heart attack, the flight crew once again scheduled another emergency landing and the Boeing 737-100 with 149 passengers on board and a flight crew of six landed safely at Charleston International Airport in South Carolina.
“We landed and she was treated,” said Lieberman. “Military personnel came on board the plane and we were there for about two hours. I had used four containers of oxygen and by law, they have to have oxygen on the plane, so we had to wait for them to refill the on board supply.”
When the flight finally landed in Miami, the flight crew came over to thank Lieberman personally for his assistance. After filling out the medical report, Lieberman assumed that he had heard the last of his eventful flight on American Airlines, yet eleven days later, Lieberman received a surprise in his inbox: a thank you letter from American Airlines’ medical director, thanking him for his assistance and informing him that 25,000 miles had been deposited into his frequent flyer account.
Lieberman shared the email he received from American with VIN News.
“I realize that your offer of assistance was not motivated by any potential reward. Nevertheless, we wanted you to know how much your efforts were appreciated,” read the email, dated January 16th and signed by Dr. Thomas N. Bettes, director of medical and occupational health services at American Airlines.
“I wasn’t expecting anything like this,” admitted Lieberman, who acknowledged that the three incidents took up about 90 minutes of what should have been a three hour and forty five minutes flight from Montreal to Miami. “I was just happy to be able to make a kiddush Hashem.”
American Airlines media spokesperson Kent Powell praised Lieberman for his actions.
“It is wonderful in any situation, be it on an airplane, in the mall or at a grocery store when folks render aid, something people aren’t always comfortable doing,” said Powell.
“We are always quick to recognize people who go above and beyond. I am sure the families appreciate what Mr. Lieberman did here and we do too.”
Kol Hakavod! Hatzalah and its member mamish rock the world!!!
Menachem you are a true inspiration to all of us and you make us proud being involved in Hatzoloh of Montreal.
BTW, Montreal Hatzoloh will have a dinner on Feb 3th where Menachem (Max) is one of the honorees. Anyone interested in donating to Hatzloah in his honor should contact them at (514) 448-4999
Just like the two nurses that this week helped the pilot of a jetliner after he sufferred a heart attack while filying was the right thing to do, so was this.
What a kiddish hashem…after us getting so much bad publicity by the media its wonderful to see some great story..Thank you Mr. Lieberman…,
How nice! What a relief to read something positive from time to time on Jewish people, in a sea of negative comments all over! What a kiddush Hashem!
Wow, great story! what a Kiddush Hashem!
Great Kiddush Hashem. People like him, and others, notably, Tzvi Gluck, who saves people often, on planes, make the rest of us look very good. Keep it up!
Menachem was always a tzadik!!!
Nice story indeed.
Wonder what David Retna has to say about this…
Interesting how VIN is so fast forward, they have a picture of Max talking to Customs Officials 335 days from now…
Now that stupid gimpy from montreal should go ahead and fight with max
Menachem, yeah, you’re still the best. Will give ya a hug next time I visit outremont.
Get yourself some help.
Well Kiddush Hashem is a Mitzva, and there nothing wrong to want to do the Mitzva.
You’re point only says that even without it, it should be done. Right, but Kiddush Hashem is still a Mitzvah
Kol HaKavod !
so nice to read something pleasant and positive here
B”H,AND KOL HKAVOD TO MAX.
Good job, and well-done!
i guess each airline has their rewards. I (NY EMT) assisted a diabetic (an arab from Cairo no less)who collapsed on a flight from Frankfurt top US for almost 2 hrs. and they thanked me by giving me a First Class (no sorry, not a seat) bag containing a toothbrush ,comb etc….:)