As Southwest flight landed, Chicago girl with Type-1 diabetes had a terrifying drop in blood sugar, but crew allegedly only told them to ‘sit down’

A family traveling by Southwest Airlines faced a harrowing situation in May when their daughter, who has Type-1 diabetes, suffered a severe drop in blood sugar while landing in Chicago. A situation made worse by the alleged unhelpfulness of the flight crew. Kayla Wire, the child’s mother, shared the ordeal on Instagram, drawing over 11.1 million views. 

The video captures the distressing moment in a series of short clips. First, you see the father briskly walking through the skybridge, carrying his daughter while she vomits on his shoulder. Then we see her cradled by an older man, and then set on a bench, dazed. The on-screen text simply states, “Nothing can prepare you for this.” Kayla explains the entire scenario in the caption of her post, detailing how all their preparation and Southwest failed them.

Kayla wrote that about five minutes before the plane arrived at the gate, the girl’s father alerted a flight attendant to the medical emergency. After explaining that her blood sugar was low, he asked to be “accommodated off the plane ASAP first before everyone else stood up and would block our exit to safety if anything more serious were to occur during her low.” Kayla claimed the flight attendant was rude, telling him, “Okay, go sit back down” and allegedly pretending to make a phone call. 

The crew then doubled down

According to the caption, “Then she got on the intercom and stated, “Everyone needs to remain seated until we reach the boarding gate. If anyone gets up again, we will stop this plane immediately and will not be going anywhere. If there is a medical emergency, we will deal with it at the gate.” But they in fact did NOT deal with it at the gate.” It should be noted that this is purely Kayla’s perspective and the behavior of the staff cannot be confirmed. 

Kayla then alleged that the attendant simply watched as others crowded around them and they tried to make the girl comfortable. She described the environment as hot, stuffy, and cramped, which only exacerbated her daughter’s symptoms while they waited for her glucose levels to stabilize. 

Kayla claimed, “My dad looked back at her, made eye contact, and said to her, ‘We’re having a medical emergency here. Why are you just standing there?” She continued to look at my dad, scoffed, and slowly looked away…. 10 seconds later, my daughter was throwing up.” In a different instance where a diabetic struggled, United Healthcare denied a prescription that controlled her pre-diabetes and sent a scale instead.

According to the Mayo Clinic, diabetic hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar levels drop below a healthy range, which for many is under 70 mg/dL. Glucose is the primary fuel for the body and brain, so when it drops, the body can’t function properly. 

Early symptoms can include dizziness, sweating, shakiness, and an upset stomach. If left untreated, it can lead to severe complications like seizures or loss of consciousness. The Mayo Clinic emphasizes that family members should know how to recognize these symptoms and provide assistance, as severe cases require emergency care.

Kayla clarified in the comments that they had already treated the low blood sugar for her daughter, and they were in the recovery phase. However, the conditions on the plane, specifically the lack of space and the air quality, were making the child’s recovery difficult. Because the girl was vomiting, she was losing the carbs and hydration the family had used to treat the low, which created a dangerous cycle.

Many TikTokers flooded the comment section and expressed frustration and anger. One user commented, “I am a Flight Attendent and the daughter of a type one diabetic the amount of Flight Attendents I know that do not understand this condition is frightening. I am so sorry that you went through this.” 

Another viewer added, “I AM LIVID!!! This is a lawsuit! Please sue!! I am a T1D. I am terrified when my blood sugar drops to dangerous levels. I can only imagine what your baby was going through mentally. This is disgusting.” Type 1 diabetes can also have other large impacts, like affecting pregnancy, which is why a mother’s birth at McDonald’s was a surprise and a miracle.

Others focused on the need for better training. One commenter wrote, “The flight attendants need to be more empathetic. If they are not required to be trained for medical emergencies then they need to be required to notify the pilot or have at least a nurse onboard.” Some users directed their frustration at the airline. 

One commenter tagged the airline and wrote, “You need to educate your staff about this disease. It is life and death and the way this family was treated is abhorrent! Do better!”