Fri
Aug 17 2007
07:03 pm
By: bizgrrl

A 72 year old minister from Kansas goes to Orlando for a gospel conference. After landing in Orlando he isn't feeling well and asks for assistance. They bring him a wheelchair, roll him out to the taxi area and leave him.

He sits there, UNNOTICED, unattended, for three days! At a major airport!

Outrageous!

What's wrong? How many travelers walked by this man, not seeing, in a hurry to get to Disney, Sea World, whatever? Was it because he was an elderly black man in a wheelchair?

And how many employees ignored this man, not my job, wanting to clock out? Where was Homeland Security? Apparently, there is no security paying attention at OIA.

Please, people, care about those around you! Take a moment, look around, does someone need help? Have patience with the elderly. You may be in their shoes some day.

(H/T to the Philips Phile, one of the best shows on radio despite their cheesy website, by way of XM 152.)

R. Neal's picture

This IS pretty f***ing

This IS pretty f***ing outrageous.

Also, how sad is it that the man's family in Wichita had to call local authorities after losing contact with him? Because he'd had a stroke and couldn't talk? And was abandoned by the airline, OIA employees, passersby, and airport security ?

Unbelievable.

Phil's picture

Orlando airport

My wife has to use a wheelchair for the same reason this person did. Today, at Hobby Airport in Houston, the airport/airline (not sure) employee stayed with my wife until I arrived to get her. He even used his cell phone to call me (her's was unpowered). He got a nice tip, but that's not the point. For God's sake, what is wrong with Floridians? If you are disabled, DO NOT fly to Orlando.

R. Neal's picture

The airline in this case was

The airline in this case was AirTran, according to news reports.

SammySkull's picture

Beyond effed up if it's

Beyond effed up if it's true, but it really sounds odd to me. He was left at the curb, but was he unable to ask for further help at that point? Could he not have asked why he was being left there? I'm sure this is going to bring down all sorts of comment wrath on me, but it all sounds really fishy to me.

Carole Borges's picture

He probably couldn't speak loudly after a stroke.

He might also have been confused. Then again, how many people divert there eyes whenever they see an old black man. We're used to considering them invisible. If he had peed his pants, he might have looked like a homeless person. Those types also find themselves invisible. I've seen people step right over drunks lying on the sidewalk.

Once I found a drunken man crumpled on asphalt in the middle of a busy alley between stores. He was so heavy I couldn't pull him over to one side, so I asked someone going by to help. He urged me to mind my own business. When I pointed out the man might get run over any minute because trucks were arriving thru that alley all the time, he just sneered at me and walked away.

I did finaly get someone to call the police (this was before cell phones) while I stood near him to wave any vehicles away.

How people can be so darn heartless is just unimaginable to me.

Andy Axel's picture

Now, if this was the Miami

Now, if this was the Miami airport (helpfully abbreviated MIA), they wouldn't have discovered this for a week.

____________________________

I'm a guy in a Reagan mask -- and I'm running for President!

Carole Borges's picture

Good luck,, maybe pin a note to your suit jacket?

Name. Address. Emergency contact number. You just never know what might happen...

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