Rallying Around Our Friend Josh & His Family

I’m a friend of Josh and his family, writing on behalf of his wife and himself to ask for your help with financial relief after Josh’s devastating heart attack.

Josh, who is only 47 years old, had a devastating heart attack on a recent flight to Chicago, and while he survived, he is currently facing an extreme financial burden, as well as permanent damage to his heart.

On July 27, 2025, Josh, his wife, Ann, and their son prepared to travel from Phoenix to Chicago for what was supposed to be a quick getaway back to the Midwest. Shortly after boarding their American Airlines flight to Chicago, Josh started to experience extreme chest and back pain. Ann quickly alerted the flight attendant, and while they asked for permission to call out over the intercom for any medical professionals to step forward to help, the flight attendant ultimately chose not to, as the nurse across the aisle from him (who had cardiac experience) volunteered to help. Another nurse, a few rows back, overheard the situation and came up to help as well - and the captain was notified. Despite an AED being required to be accessible on all large commercial flights such as this one, it was never used. AEDs are designed to be used by anyone, even those without medical training, to save lives in these very same situations.

Ultimately, these two nurses, after giving oxygen, checking blood pressure, and pulse ox, decided that he was having an anxiety attack, even though he continued to have extreme pain the entire rest of the flight. The flight attendants checked back on Josh throughout the flight and noticed that he continued to be in extreme pain, yet there were no attempts to turn back to Phoenix, even though the heart attack started a mere 15 minutes after takeoff. The flight also did not make an emergency landing at any of the major cities along the way, and when they landed in Chicago, over four hours later, they only provided Josh with a wheelchair and expected Ann to push it.

Throughout the incident, Ann had Wi-Fi on the plane and was texting a group chat with our friends, letting us know what was happening and asking for prayers and love as she watched everything unfold in terror. We were all understandably horrified and worried for our friend, as well as disgusted at the actions of American Airlines and the lack of assistance that they provided. Ann and Josh’s friend, whom they were meeting in Chicago, met them at the airport once it was clear that medical support would not be provided, and personally drove them to the hospital in Chicago traffic. Doctors at the hospital confirmed that he had been having a heart attack the entire time he was on the flight until they treated him in the ER.

Once Josh arrived at the hospital, they immediately took him back, hooked him up to an EKG, and called the code, working on him for more than 10 minutes. He then underwent a procedure to place two stents in an artery that had a 90% blockage, and then they also found that he has two arteries that have a 40% and 50% blockage, respectively. He was hospitalized for six days, where doctors told him that because he was not treated in a timely manner, 10-15% of his heart is now permanently damaged.

After he was discharged, he was told that he could not be cleared to travel for at least two weeks, adding another financial burden upon their family. Sadly, Josh lost his job in February due to the massive layoffs associated with government contracts, which left him without insurance or a guaranteed income as the sole provider for his family.

I am urgently organizing this fundraiser to help Josh and his family manage an overwhelming set of challenges, both financial and emotional. The funds will be directed towards:

Josh and Ann and their family are people who are always helping those around them, and in this moment of need, I am asking for your help for them. Every contribution to the fundraiser, share on social media, and kind, hopeful messages will help lift the burden on their family and bring them closer to their new normal, back home in Arizona.

All funds will be directly transferred to Ann and Josh, and I will continue to provide updates as they become available.

Thank you for all your help and support to Ann and Josh during this incredibly difficult and scary time.