Narrative:

Passenger had run a 26.2 mi marathon in san diego the morning of this flight. He was boarded via wheelchair assistance and complained of feeling lousy (or as he said numerous times 'like shit'). I asked him if anyone was traveling with him or meeting him in chicago, he said no. Maybe he should have been questioned as to his 'state,' capability to take the flight at all. If he felt bad before he even boarded he was probably already severely dehydrated and possibly the beginning symptoms of heat stroke were surfacing, since he was unable to walk down the jet bridge to board the flight. In-flight: the #1 flight attendant had given him oral rehydration salts and water and also administered oxygen. Approximately 2 hours 45 mins into flight, the #4 flight attendant came to the first class galley to say he (the passenger) was incoherent. The #1 flight attendant ran back to where he was seated. We had paged for a doctor who did respond to assist us. Passenger was having trouble breathing -- they laid him on floor to open up his airway. The captain was kept informed and as soon as he was told the problem was worsening he said we'd make an emergency (unscheduled) landing in stl to have paramedics meet the flight. I stowed galley items and picked up the cabin to secure it for landing. Crew communication could have been a little better and maintaining quick but calm attitude by some would have helped. Overall, all involved did the best they could under the circumstances at the time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AT CRUISE, ONBOARD MD80S, PAX BECAME ILL AND FLC DIVERTED TO ALTERNATE WITHOUT INCIDENT. FLT THEN CONTINUED ON TO DEST.

Narrative: PAX HAD RUN A 26.2 MI MARATHON IN SAN DIEGO THE MORNING OF THIS FLT. HE WAS BOARDED VIA WHEELCHAIR ASSISTANCE AND COMPLAINED OF FEELING LOUSY (OR AS HE SAID NUMEROUS TIMES 'LIKE SHIT'). I ASKED HIM IF ANYONE WAS TRAVELING WITH HIM OR MEETING HIM IN CHICAGO, HE SAID NO. MAYBE HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN QUESTIONED AS TO HIS 'STATE,' CAPABILITY TO TAKE THE FLT AT ALL. IF HE FELT BAD BEFORE HE EVEN BOARDED HE WAS PROBABLY ALREADY SEVERELY DEHYDRATED AND POSSIBLY THE BEGINNING SYMPTOMS OF HEAT STROKE WERE SURFACING, SINCE HE WAS UNABLE TO WALK DOWN THE JET BRIDGE TO BOARD THE FLT. INFLT: THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT HAD GIVEN HIM ORAL REHYDRATION SALTS AND WATER AND ALSO ADMINISTERED OXYGEN. APPROX 2 HRS 45 MINS INTO FLT, THE #4 FLT ATTENDANT CAME TO THE FIRST CLASS GALLEY TO SAY HE (THE PAX) WAS INCOHERENT. THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT RAN BACK TO WHERE HE WAS SEATED. WE HAD PAGED FOR A DOCTOR WHO DID RESPOND TO ASSIST US. PAX WAS HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING -- THEY LAID HIM ON FLOOR TO OPEN UP HIS AIRWAY. THE CAPT WAS KEPT INFORMED AND AS SOON AS HE WAS TOLD THE PROB WAS WORSENING HE SAID WE'D MAKE AN EMER (UNSCHEDULED) LNDG IN STL TO HAVE PARAMEDICS MEET THE FLT. I STOWED GALLEY ITEMS AND PICKED UP THE CABIN TO SECURE IT FOR LNDG. CREW COM COULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BETTER AND MAINTAINING QUICK BUT CALM ATTITUDE BY SOME WOULD HAVE HELPED. OVERALL, ALL INVOLVED DID THE BEST THEY COULD UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES AT THE TIME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.