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Let's just hope this just isn't just another CYOA ME report.

Airlines ability to abuse disabled passengers is without limit, including placing life in danger.

I speak from personal experience from a Delta flight June 2007.

I am 62. I have leukemia and difficulty walking.

I was travelling alone on Delta/ASA.

I requested wheelchair transport from plane to planer. No big deal for most ailines but flying Delta I was literally tormented and my life put in grave danger.

Instead of rolling mme to the next plane, they diverted my wheelchir onto and across the tarmac to an smelly overheated lunchroom of some kind. It was at least 100 degrees.

After "warehousing" me there until I was dehydrated, I was rolled to a dilapidated non-wheelchair accessable van to a remote place on the tarmac.

I was then forced to hobble without wheelchair and ordered into an overheated stair well of three flights and locked in.

A Delta employee who was inside demande I climb the stairs while lugging my carrying on (a laptop and a small bag (about 30-35 lbs). Frightened I told her I could not do that.

She told me I would be in that stairwell until I did! She goaded: "You can stay in here as long as you like!", and "You just take all the time you want!".

I was terrified. I had to struggle in the 100 dgree heat, without water, without any help (she wouldn't even help me with my bags or give a helping hand.

I slowly struggled hooking one elbow behing the handrail. One step at a time I raised my right foot up, braced and lifted my left with my cane. This went VERY SLOWLY, an eternity.

I kept begging the Delta wheelchair person; "please!, I can't do this!"

She just kept sadistically taunting: "You can stay in here as long as you like!", and "Just take all the time you want!" on and on.

I was terrified. I sweated until I could sweat no more and my skin went dry. My heat was pounding, my chest hurt. I wondered about that last heart catheter.

It was an eternity of my struggling and begging and her taunting: "You can stay in here as lonng as you like!", and "Just take all the time you want!".

I was so dizzy I was losing vision, my footing repeatedly slipped. I knew my flight was boarding, maybe even taken off.

Only my determination to live to see my daughter's graduation kept me going.

As I finally saw the door at the top of that hellish stairwell I could feel myself passing out. I knew if I collapsed there I would fall to my death. My body would likely not be found for hours. And it would be called "an accident". I'd called it homicide.

The stairwell door opened but I could not stand but by leaning on the wall. I slid along the wall into the airconditioned terminal. She was jabbering about me needing to walk to some distant gate.

My ears were ringing, the room spinning. My knees buckled and I fell to the terminal floor.

She jabbered into her walkie-talkie for a cart. A cart finally came, she ran like achicken. The cart driver and a mainenance worker rushe to me, lifted my bags from my chest and asked what I needed.

I begged him to get me to my plane where I would be safe and could get water (I feared if I stayed she'd come back and throw me down those stairs!)

I don't call many folks hero, but that cart driver is a hero, he saved my life.

They lifted me from the floor and helped me onto the cart. He the rushed to the gate while using his walkie-talkie to call ahead for a wheelchair and possible help.

We arrived at the gate, there was a wheelchair but the wheelchair attendand fled when he saw us coming. The gate attendant was closing up, so the cart attendant gave her my (the last) boarding pass.

He said; Buddy, you need on that plane and I'm gonna get you there"! He got me in the wheelchair and pushed me to the plane himself!

When I boarded the flight attendants were worried because I looked really bad off. I insisted they help me to my seat and give me water. They did.

Then the pilot came back to my seat wanting to put me off the plane because I "look in real bad shape" and didn't want to have to turn around or be late. I told him if he didn't want to be late he'd better take off because I would not allow anyone to return me to that horrible terminal!

After slamming down four bottles of water, I was coherent enough to write a note to the pilot and flight attendants explaining my nightmarish torture by Delta's "Stairwell Sadist".

Yes I complained to Delta, their response was disappointing to say the least. "No big deal, who cares" is how I'd describe it.

I will NEVER fly Delta, or travel Atlanta again. Why risk being treated that badly for anything?

I don't want any decent person to risk having such an experience flying Delta, or through Atlanta.

Now this is just my own humble opinion but I think that passengers don't deserve Delta, and Delta doesn't deserve passengers.

How many good folks are willing to back me on this?

Sincerely:

"old guy who didn't deserve Delta's abuse"

("exclusive" predicated on follow-up

Airlines ability to abuse disabled passengers is without limit, including placing life in danger.

I speak from personal experience from a Delta flight June 2007.

I am 62. I have leukemia and difficulty walking.

I was travelling alone on Delta/ASA.

I requested wheelchair transport from plane to planer. No big deal for most ailines but flying Delta I was literally tormented and my life put in grave danger.

Instead of rolling mme to the next plane, they diverted my wheelchir onto and across the tarmac to an smelly overheated lunchroom of some kind. It was at least 100 degrees.

After "warehousing" me there until I was dehydrated, I was rolled to a dilapidated non-wheelchair accessable van to a remote place on the tarmac.

I was then forced to hobble without wheelchair and ordered into an overheated stair well of three flights and locked in.

A Delta employee who was inside demande I climb the stairs while lugging my carrying on (a laptop and a small bag (about 30-35 lbs). Frightened I told her I could not do that.

She told me I would be in that stairwell until I did! She goaded: "You can stay in here as long as you like!", and "You just take all the time you want!".

I was terrified. I had to struggle in the 100 dgree heat, without water, without any help (she wouldn't even help me with my bags or give a helping hand.

I slowly struggled hooking one elbow behing the handrail. One step at a time I raised my right foot up, braced and lifted my left with my cane. This went VERY SLOWLY, an eternity.

I kept begging the Delta wheelchair person; "please!, I can't do this!"

She just kept sadistically taunting: "You can stay in here as long as you like!", and "Just take all the time you want!" on and on.

I was terrified. I sweated until I could sweat no more and my skin went dry. My heat was pounding, my chest hurt. I wondered about that last heart catheter.

It was an eternity of my struggling and begging and her taunting: "You can stay in here as lonng as you like!", and "Just take all the time you want!".

I was so dizzy I was losing vision, my footing repeatedly slipped. I knew my flight was boarding, maybe even taken off.

Only my determination to live to see my daughter's graduation kept me going.

As I finally saw the door at the top of that hellish stairwell I could feel myself passing out. I knew if I collapsed there I would fall to my death. My body would likely not be found for hours. And it would be called "an accident". I'd called it homicide.

The stairwell door opened but I could not stand but by leaning on the wall. I slid along the wall into the airconditioned terminal. She was jabbering about me needing to walk to some distant gate.

My ears were ringing, the room spinning. My knees buckled and I fell to the terminal floor.

She jabbered into her walkie-talkie for a cart. A cart finally came, she ran like achicken. The cart driver and a mainenance worker rushe to me, lifted my bags from my chest and asked what I needed.

I begged him to get me to my plane where I would be safe and could get water (I feared if I stayed she'd come back and throw me down those stairs!)

I don't call many folks hero, but that cart driver is a hero, he saved my life.

They lifted me from the floor and helped me onto the cart. He the rushed to the gate while using his walkie-talkie to call ahead for a wheelchair and possible help.

We arrived at the gate, there was a wheelchair but the wheelchair attendand fled when he saw us coming. The gate attendant was closing up, so the cart attendant gave her my (the last) boarding pass.

He said; Buddy, you need on that plane and I'm gonna get you there"! He got me in the wheelchair and pushed me to the plane himself!

When I boarded the flight attendants were worried because I looked really bad off. I insisted they help me to my seat and give me water. They did.

Then the pilot came back to my seat wanting to put me off the plane because I "look in real bad shape" and didn't want to have to turn around or be late. I told him if he didn't want to be late he'd better take off because I would not allow anyone to return me to that horrible terminal!

After slamming down four bottles of water, I was coherent enough to write a note to the pilot and flight attendants explaining my nightmarish torture by Delta's "Stairwell Sadist".

Yes I complained to Delta, their response was disappointing to say the least. "No big deal, who cares" is how I'd describe it.

I will NEVER fly Delta, or travel Atlanta again. Why risk being treated that badly for anything?

I don't want any decent person to risk having such an experience flying Delta, or through Atlanta.

Now this is just my own humble opinion but I think that passengers don't deserve Delta, and Delta doesn't deserve passengers.

How many good folks are willing to back me on this?

Sincerely:

"old guy who didn't deserve Delta's abuse"

("exclusive" predicated on follow-up

Sorry for what you went through "old guy" but I hardly think that your situation is the same as a drunk passenger screaming and becoming hysterical. I am outraged that this womans husband feels he has the right to say that if someone had shown compassion for his wife then she would still be alive - NO NO NO - sorry - but if HE really had compassion and love for his wife he would have flown with her to the rehab place to make sure she got there safely. This woman chose to drink at the bar in between flights. I am not saying she deserved to die but this is a freak accident and the police are not to be blamed !!!

Sorry for what you went through "old guy" but I hardly think that your situation is the same as a drunk passenger screaming and becoming hysterical. I am outraged that this womans husband feels he has the right to say that if someone had shown compassion for his wife then she would still be alive - NO NO NO - sorry - but if HE really had compassion and love for his wife he would have flown with her to the rehab place to make sure she got there safely. This woman chose to drink at the bar in between flights. I am not saying she deserved to die but this is a freak accident and the police are not to be blamed !!!

She was drunk and jacked up on pills, acting like a loon, and managed to strangle herself.

It's a tragedy for her family.

For the rest of the world, it's nothing.

Amazing!!!

Some of you folks sure can miss the point, ...having trouble connect the dots?

Certain passengers are at far higher risk of abuse, neglect, harsh treatment injury or
even death in an Airline terminal.

Especially if they are:

1) Travelling alone
2) vulnerable in any way.

"Vulnerable", (especially when travelling alone), can mean:

1) disabled
2) emotionally distraught, or taking medication
3) in a wheelchair (especially targetted)
4) a minor child
5) or just let their guard down

There seems to be an hateful, abusive mindset which is attracted to "vulnerable" persons who they enjoy treating harshly, bullying, abusing, or even torturing. And a death is just a bonus thrill.

You all seem to forget that each of you likely have family or loved ones among the "vulnerable", and given time you yourselves will become one.

Or just break a leg or get hurt and fly! THINK about it...if you can. Maybe take your pain pills!

My favorite definition of an "Innocent Bystander": Just be innocent...AND STAND BY!

I'm sorry for (some of) your hateful attitudes toward the victim who lost her life and her family. ("She was drunk and deserved to die for that" ... Where do you find such morals, under a rock, or from the TV set???).

It doesn't take a "rocket scientist" to realize that someone who is having severe mental problems is already in danger and needs help.

Even an uneducated, low paid security guard can recognize that.

The obvious reality is that someone who is hysterical is clearly in danger and once someone has taken her into custody, they have accepted responsibity to watch over and protect such a persons life. Whether its easy or not.

There seems to be a hateful violent subculture, similar to "schoolyard bullies" who prey violently upon victims of opportunity, ...alway victimizing the weak, undefended and vulnerable. They are the core of the "gang problem" poisoning our country.

They are usually backed and encouraged by cowardly "toadies" who goad the bullies hoping not to become bullied themselves.

(You know who you are, We've read your comments.)

ALL AIR PASSENGERS HAVE A RIGHT TO LIFE AND TO TRAVEL IN SAFETY!

I have to admit that I was shocked to encounter Delta's "Stairwell Sadist" and it was unimaginable.

Given time, the way things are going, each of you will meet your own version of the "Stairwell Sadist".

I survived my encounter with my life, barely.

No vulnerable air passenger is safe in a terminal without a personal bodyguard.

I had expected decent people would come forward and disapprove of such things! I guess I was naive.

When your time comes, will each of you survive your own "Stairwell Sadist" encounter?

Some will, though others...????

Amazing!!!

Some of you folks sure can miss the point, ...having trouble connect the dots?

Certain passengers are at far higher risk of abuse, neglect, harsh treatment injury or
even death in an Airline terminal.

Especially if they are:

1) Travelling alone
2) vulnerable in any way.

"Vulnerable", (especially when travelling alone), can mean:

1) disabled
2) emotionally distraught, or taking medication
3) in a wheelchair (especially targetted)
4) a minor child
5) or just let their guard down

There seems to be an hateful, abusive mindset which is attracted to "vulnerable" persons who they enjoy treating harshly, bullying, abusing, or even torturing. And a death is just a bonus thrill.

You all seem to forget that each of you likely have family or loved ones among the "vulnerable", and given time you yourselves will become one.

Or just break a leg or get hurt and fly! THINK about it...if you can. Maybe take your pain pills!

My favorite definition of an "Innocent Bystander": Just be innocent...AND STAND BY!

I'm sorry for (some of) your hateful attitudes toward the victim who lost her life and her family. ("She was drunk and deserved to die for that" ... Where do you find such morals, under a rock, or from the TV set???).

It doesn't take a "rocket scientist" to realize that someone who is having severe mental problems is already in danger and needs help.

Even an uneducated, low paid security guard can recognize that.

The obvious reality is that someone who is hysterical is clearly in danger and once someone has taken her into custody, they have accepted responsibity to watch over and protect such a persons life. Whether its easy or not.

There seems to be a hateful violent subculture, similar to "schoolyard bullies" who prey violently upon victims of opportunity, ...alway victimizing the weak, undefended and vulnerable. They are the core of the "gang problem" poisoning our country.

They are usually backed and encouraged by cowardly "toadies" who goad the bullies hoping not to become bullied themselves.

(You know who you are, We've read your comments.)

ALL AIR PASSENGERS HAVE A RIGHT TO LIFE AND TO TRAVEL IN SAFETY!

I have to admit that I was shocked to encounter Delta's "Stairwell Sadist" and it was unimaginable.

Given time, the way things are going, each of you will meet your own version of the "Stairwell Sadist".

I survived my encounter with my life, barely.

No vulnerable air passenger is safe in a terminal without a personal bodyguard.

I had expected decent people would come forward and disapprove of such things! I guess I was naive.

When your time comes, will each of you survive your own "Stairwell Sadist" encounter?

Some will, though others...????

I'm sorry but showing up at the gate drunk and disorderly should not be a death sentence.

Whether or not this death was "accidental" or not, it was certainly negligent to leave a person who was obviously impared and out of control shackled to a bench alone for any period of time. If this had happened at a hospital ER then the attending Dr would be responsible, no doubt about it. If the security people at the airports don't have even the basic medical training necessary to judge who is safe and who is not to be left alone then they need to have it NOW.

Let's please stop blaming the victim, the victim's family, or whoever for what was clearly neglegence on the part of the police. This woman was sick and needed care and monitoring, not what was obviously neglegent and unprofessional treatment that ultimately ended in her death. I can only hope that those responsible will be held accountable.

Those "responsible" have already been "held accountable": she'd dead. She strangled herself as a result of her own inability to behave like an adult.

No one held a gun to her head and forced her to drink alcohol.

No one held a gun to her head and forced her take to drugs.

No one held a gun to her head and forced her to try to escape custody.

She made stupid self-destructive choices, and those choices resulted in her death.

That's life. Get used to it. The police aren't baby-sitters, they have far more important things to be doing than hand-holding a drunk. If she was too crazy to be left alone for 15 minutes then she was too crazy to be put on a plane and flown across the country alone.

Hey Mcaimless - there are plenty of drunk and disorderly people who carry out death sentences against themselves and take plenty of other innocent people along with them. She was impaired. She killed herself under circumstances in which anyone who is not impaired would not choose such an action. No surprise.

Hello again,

As I'm following the mysterious death of Carrol Anna Gotbaum-- I've come back to follow this blog and read about the 'Sodomic' treatment of that old man.

What he is describing is exactly a modern version of the behavior of the people who once resided in the Valley of S'dom--Sodom in English and Amerat -G'morah in English.

It was a beautiful lush valley but the people became rotten and selfish and cruel --cruel for no reason for they had it good- cruel for cruelty's sake.

And jealousy. Where is the pity for this modern day Ruth?? for that is what Carrol Anne was, she came from a good well to do Christian family in South Africa (who are going to be continuing their investigation from what I read).

You hate her because she became a Jew, too bad. Ruth deserved to be the ancestress of King David, for she too left a comfortable known family to become a Jew. But today living in New York is not easy, living away from your family and friends is not easy, having children in your forties is not easy.

And unfortunately no complementary doctor was called in to say that maybe she needed extra vitamins and minerals after giving birth at her age. Lack of B vitamins and certain minerals can give depression and other symptoms. But America is into drugs, too bad.

That level of evil--- cruely and actions of jealosy--- is punished -G-d may take his time, but anyone sane would not want to be in the vicinity when the inevitable time comes.

It is simply weird to see emails that could have come straight from the people who lived in that lush valley until it was burned to rock and clay.

And Americans supposedly read some version of that Bible story. I guess its just a fairy tale for most of you out there. Too bad.

She was there for almost two and a half hours. The police are muddling this to make themselves look good. This is the second time she was denied boarding.

They took 15 seconds to decide she was not telling the truth about being sick and pile on top of her. Then they say "we are not doctors." Fine. They should not have made a life threatening medical decision in 15 seconds and Phoenix should not call that police doing their job protecting us.

It is not crazy to totally lose your temper when after waiting for hours an airline solves their overbooking problem by having you arrested.

The effects of a bad cold or flu and medication for it with prescription medicine for depression are not being drunk. Her fitness to drive a car is irrelevant slander of a dead woman who can not speak for herself. It turns out Phoenix is lucky she can't give her own version of these events so they can slander a cut up dead body, part of which is buried in New York and part of which is being kept by Phoenix, without having to deal with what the victim says.