Passenger Nearly Dies Mid-Flight — Saved by Crew and Stranger

A routine domestic flight in Australia turned into a terrifying medical emergency when a passenger went into full anaphylactic shock thousands of feet in the air. Quick-thinking crew members — and one heroic stranger — are now being credited with saving his life.

Andrew Rawle, 43, was flying on Virgin Australia Flight VA1427 to Newman, a remote mining town in Western Australia, on Jan. 4. Minutes after snacking on a sealed cheese-and-crackers pack, Rawle said his throat started to close without warning.

“It hit me instantly,” Rawle told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “My throat tightened. I could feel my face heating up. I’d gone tomato red. I knew exactly what was happening — and I knew I didn’t have long.”

Rawle, who has severe allergies to nuts and certain medications, bolted toward the galley, clutching his EpiPen.

“I asked the cabin crew in this strained, barely-there voice, ‘Can I just get behind the curtain to jab myself in the leg?’ They could see something was very wrong,” he said.

He injected himself and managed to breathe again. But the relief didn’t last.

About 20 minutes later, Rawle said he felt another “wave” building.

“My throat started tensing again. I thought, ‘I’m not going to make it through a second one.’”

Flight attendants rushed to bring him oxygen and searched for a doctor. No one responded.

They then issued a rare in-flight plea: Was anyone carrying an EpiPen?

A young woman seated several rows back pressed her call button.

“She didn’t know me. She didn’t hesitate,” Rawle said. “She handed over her EpiPen, and I jabbed it straight into my other leg. That act changed the outcome. I’m certain of it.”

The pilots accelerated toward Newman — a move Rawle described as lifesaving.

“They absolutely punched it,” he said. “Every minute counted.”

An ambulance was waiting on the tarmac when the plane touched down. Paramedics administered adrenaline and rushed Rawle to a nearby hospital.

Rawle says this was the worst allergic reaction he has ever experienced. And he still isn’t sure what triggered it.

“The snack was safe. I checked it. My best guess is I touched the safety card,” he said. “There could’ve been food residue from a previous flight. That’s all it takes.”

According to aviation medical guidelines, most airlines carry EpiPens in their emergency kits. But Rawle said the Virgin Australia flight he was on did not have one available.

Virgin Australia did not comment on the incident when contacted.

Rawle says he owes his life to both the cabin crew and the stranger who stepped forward with her medication.

“I don’t think we would’ve made it to Newman — or any other airport — if that passenger hadn’t raised her hand,” he said. “I’m incredibly grateful.”

He also praised the crew for going far beyond standard duty.

“They were exceptional. They kept me alive long enough to get help.”

Rawle now wants airlines to reassess emergency medical supplies and improve allergen safety.

“When you’re in the air, there’s no backup plan,” he said. “You rely on what’s there — and who’s around you.”