A 25-year-old woman has tragically died almost one year after falling from her wheelchair while boarding a plane because airline staff didn’t help her, her grieving family claims.
According to reports, Gabrielle Assouline was boarding a Southwest Airlines plane in February last year when she hit a junction, which caused her to be ejected from her wheelchair.
She was left with a broken neck and a damaged spinal cord after landing on her head.
For 11 months, Assouline – who was diagnosed with genetic disorder fibrodysplasia ossificans progressive when she was 12 – fought for her life in the hospital but her devastated family just announced that she died on January 22, 2023.
In a GoFundMe page set up to help Assouline for her hospital bills, her family wrote: “It’s with a heavy heart and profound sorrow that we announce the passing of our precious daughter and sister GABRIELLE on Sunday, January 22 at 12:40 pm.
“Gaby was not alone at the end. We were all blessed to be [at] her bedside, crying, praying and sharing Gaby stories.”
Their post continued: “Gaby’s life was tragically interrupted 11 months ago but she put up the greatest fight with grace, friends, laughter and the strong belief that she would leave the hospital and come home very soon.
“Unfortunately, complications robbed Gaby of that ending.”
According to the news outlet, the family filed a lawsuit against the airline and claimed that the company and its staff did not help the 25-year-old when boarding the plane.
But the airline responded: “Southwest offers its sincere condolences to Ms. Assouline’s family, friends, and all whose lives she touched.
“We have a more than 51-year commitment to caring for our People and Customers and remain engaged with the parties involved.”
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