On a flight from Georgia to Israel, an eye doctor saved the life of a heart patient, bringing a happy landing to what began as a dire emergency.

Forty minutes into a flight from Tbilisi to Ben Gurion airport, a 23-year-old man who had a history of cardiac problems began suffering from chest pains, dizziness, and extreme perspiration.

The passengers asked if a doctor was on board, and Dr. Eyal Aloni, head of the ophthalmology department at Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon, heeded his call.

Aloni immediately escorted the patient to the back of the plane and treated him by using some medications that he had handy and an oxygen tank provided by the crew.

Thanks to the doctor’s quick thinking and expertise, the patient’s condition stabilized, and by the time the plane landed, paramedics transferred him for further medical treatment.

Aloni graciously thanked the crew for its assistance, saying, “I thank the flight crew and passengers for their cooperation and assistance, and I wish the patient a complete recovery and good health.”

Discussing the event, Aloni remarked, “It was like in the movies. Forty minutes after takeoff, they asked if there was a doctor. I raised my hand – I looked around and saw that I was the only one who could help.

“They took me to the back of the plane. I saw a young man, 23, shaking with chest pressure and having difficulty speaking. I was able to tell that he had underlying heart disease. When I got to him, he was already connected to oxygen that the flight crew had probably brought for him. I brought him two aspirin pills that I had, and we waited until he finally stabilized.”

He added, “We moved him to a place where he could lie down, and I asked for an ambulance to wait for him after landing, and so it was. I don’t know what his condition is and if he had a heart attack, but I’m glad I was there to help.”

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