Pilot Leaves Cockpit Mid-Flight, Shock Over What He Reveals About Passenger

A pilot proudly introduced the woman who "saved my life" after he received a bone marrow transplant. The pilot, who works for United Airlines, met the woman who donated bone marrow eight years ago in Houston, Texas, which ended up helping him when he needed a bone marrow transplant. Laura LoGiudice was on a flight from George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey when the pilot of the aircraft announced to passengers that he was the recipient of a bone marrow transplant. A sweet video, which was shared by LoGiudice on December 14, shows the pilot meeting the woman who donated her bone marrow, with other passengers looking on and clapping at the heart-warming interaction as the pilot hugs the woman.

The pair had a smiley interaction, as the woman asked the pilot how he was, before he turned to introduce her to onlookers in the flight cabin. LoGiudice told Storyful: "The donor was on our flight, and [the pilot] announced he was coming back to give her a hug." The pilot can be heard announcing to the passengers surrounding the woman: "This young lady saved my life." He then explains that she was a closer match to him for a donation than his brother, revealing: "My body makes her blood." He also revealed that after the transplant, he went from B positive to O negative blood type. The pilot then calls her a "true hero" before hugging her again, leading to more claps from fellow flyers. Newsweek has contacted Laura LoGiudice for comment via email. Bone marrow is the tissue found inside of human bones. It is soft and fatty and contains cells that produce blood cells and platelets, the Cleveland Clinic says. It is an essential part of the human body, responsible for producing the parts of blood that humans need to survive. A bone marrow transplant is a type of life-saving stem cell transplant that is often used to treat certain types of cancer and immune diseases. Usually, the bone marrow used in such a transplant is donated by another person, such as the woman who was thanked by the pilot in the video. Twenty percent of donor transplants between relatives and 14 percent of donor transplants between unrelated people completed in 2020 were bone marrow transplants, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration reports. Has a dream vacation turned into a nightmare? Whether it's a missed flight or lost luggage, we want to hear about your travel disasters. Let us know via life@newsweek.com, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.