Delta passenger salutes flight crew, Tim Tebow after medical emergency

ATLANTA — A Delta Air Lines customer is praising the flight crew and NFL star Tim Tebow following a recent in-flight medical emergency. Richard V. Gotti’s post on Delta’s official, public Facebook page has been shared more than 10,000 times.

Gotti’s post, which has been “liked” on Facebook more than 25,000 times, says he was traveling from Atlanta to Phoenix when another passenger started experiencing some sort of medical distress.

“I watched strangers from all over the world and every ethnicity come to the help of this man for over an hour! Whether it was chest compressions, starting an IV, helping breathe life into this man, or praying everyone helped! I listened to shock after shock from the AED machine and still no pulse. No one gave up. I observed people praying and lifting this man up to the Lord in a way that I’ve never seen before. The crew of Delta Air Lines were amazing. They acted in a fast and professional manner!”

The story gets even more memorable:

“Then all of a sudden, I observed a guy walking down the aisle. That guy was Tim Tebow. He met with the family as they cried on his shoulder! I watched Tim pray with the entire section of the plane for this man. He made a stand for God in a difficult situation. The plane landed in Phoenix and that was the first time they got a pulse back! Please share this with your friends! Pray for this man and his family, and also thank God that we still have people of faith who in times of difficulty look to the Lord!”

Channel 2 Action News talked to the passenger who says it was very moving to see people including Tebow reach out to help.

"That was just a surreal moment for him to go out of his way to approach this family and pray for them, bow his head and put his arm around them and pray for their loved one that was having medical difficulties,” said Joshua Douglass.

Delta spokesman Brian Kruse confirmed that there had been a medical emergency on board, and noted that paramedics greeted the plane to ensure the passenger received immediate care.

After the plane landed in Phoenix, Dellenbach says Tebow used a car that had been waiting for him to carry the man's family to the hospital where he'd been taken.

“We can’t say enough about the Delta professionals who care for our customers every day and we are grateful to our customers who are so often quick to extend kindness and care to one another,” he said.

Naturally, the airline doesn’t release information about who’s on board, though. Tebow hasn’t posted anything about the matter, in keeping with his humble nature, but we’re trying to confirm.

Cox Media Group