Not the announcement anyone wants to hear at any time but especially not when your international flight from Mexico City to New York has just reached cruising altitude over the Pacific Ocean.

This however is exactly what happened as my granddaughter Rian and her new husband Adam were flying home from their delayed honeymoon this past Memorial Day. They were comfortably settled in their seats, ear buds in place anticipating long naps when their audio was suddenly interrupted by that electrifying announcement. 

In an amazing series of events Adam had not only just graduated medical school, one week and five days ago to be exact, but had also packed his stethoscope and pen light in his backpack! 

Barely missing a beat, he was instantly out of his seat and sprinting towards the source of the alarming screams. First he had to assure the distressed passenger’s partner that he was a Doctor so she would stop terrifying the entire plane, next he had to quickly assess whether the disoriented man was experiencing a life threatening event, in which case the pilot would have to turn the plane around and make an emergency landing.

  Fortunately for everyone on board, passengers and crew alike, as unnerving as this crisis was, it was no match for Adam’s skill, training and overall natural cool! He was quickly able to determine the disoriented, semi- conscious passenger was not suffering a life threatening event but instead was extremely dehydrated and there was no need to return to Mexico City. 

Having turned around to see where her husband was heading Rian noticed that the three guys in the row directly behind theirs looked vaguely familiar. They were busily texting about the crazy incident occurring on their plane when she asked if by any chance they knew her brother Eli. In the category of amazing coincidences, almost equal to that of having a newly minted Doctor traveling with his stethoscope and pen light on board a flight during a medical emergency, it turns out the three guys did know Eli and quickly, through the wonders of 21^st century technology, added him to their group text!

When the situation was under control and Dr. Adam returned to his seat, in addition to the obvious pride of his new bride, he received accolades from his fellow passengers and a bucket of champagne from an extremely grateful crew.

After all the time and money he saved the airlines I think, in addition to champagne he should have been given two free first class tickets to anywhere the airline flies-just sayin’!