Dr. Oz Helps Save Passenger at Airport

Image: Dr. Mehmet Oz, television personality and practicing surgeon, helped save a man's life at Newark-Liberty International Airport. (photo by Elyse Horvath/Flickr) (Elyse Horvath)
Image: Dr. Mehmet Oz, television personality and practicing surgeon, helped save a man's life at Newark-Liberty International Airport. (photo by Elyse Horvath/Flickr) (Elyse Horvath)
Rich Thomaselli
by Rich Thomaselli
Last updated: 1:17 PM ET, Wed March 3, 2021

Most people know Mehmet Oz simply as Dr. Oz, who hosts his own daytime television show and makes numerous appearances on TV.

On Monday night, a handful of people got to see the side of Dr. Oz who is still a practicing cardiothoracic surgeon.

The celebrity doctor rushed into action at Newark-Liberty International Airport when a man collapsed at the baggage claim area. Oz and his family were returning from Florida.

The man was foaming at the mouth and bleeding from where he had hit his head on the floor, Oz's representative told ABC News.

Officer Jeffrey Croissant of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department was on patrol in the area and rushed to help the man, who was not breathing and did not have a pulse. Croissant immediately called for back-up and started to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the man.

Oz also ran over to help Croissant revive the man, according to a statement from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department.

"I couldn't get a pulse, which is the first thing you check for. He wasn't responsive," Oz recalled during an interview Wednesday with ABC News' Robin Roberts on "Good Morning America." "I had to roll him onto his back and recognized that he was purple, I mean the color of an eggplant, and that's a bad combination. And there's that soul-sapping moment when you realize you're losing a life. So I started doing CPR, which is my training."

Croissant told ABC News that he didn't recognize Oz at first because face masks are required at the airport, but once he did, the officer thought: "You really can't get better help than that."

Within minutes, more officers arrived on scene with oxygen and a defibrillator. After several more cycles of CPR and being shocked with the defibrillator, the man began to breathe on his own and was stabilized, according to police.

The man, a 60-year-old New Jersey resident, was transported to a local hospital in intensive care and is undergoing further evaluation, according to police.

"It is a true miracle with the odds heavily against him," Oz added, while praising the officers who also sprung into action.

"He's doing very well. He's in the ICU but leaving today to go to a hospital closer to his home. He's awake and alert, neurologically intact."


For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.

Topics From This Article to Explore

More From TravelPulse

Related Videos

Rich Thomaselli

Rich Thomaselli

Associate Writer

Editor Associate Writer true 9281 14744 Rich Thomaselli has written for TravelPulse since 2014 and has been a professional journalist for nearly 40 years. His work has appeared in USA Today, the New York Times and New York Yankees publications. He is an 11-time writ

Grow Your Travel Business With Certified Courses

Travel Agent Academy
Travel Agent Academy
Majestic Resorts Specialist ProgramDiscover all-inclusive luxury at Majestic Resorts in paradise.
Travel Agent Academy
Travel Agent Academy
Los Cabos Specialist ProgramSell the magic of Los Cabos: luxury, adventure, and endless sunshine.
Travel Agent Academy
Travel Agent Academy
Allianz Specialist ProgramProtect every journey with Allianz Partners Travel Insurance.
Travel Agent Academy
Travel Agent Academy
Majestic Resorts Specialist ProgramDiscover all-inclusive luxury at Majestic Resorts in paradise.
Travel Agent Academy
Travel Agent Academy
Los Cabos Specialist ProgramSell the magic of Los Cabos: luxury, adventure, and endless sunshine.
Travel Agent Academy
Travel Agent Academy
Allianz Specialist ProgramProtect every journey with Allianz Partners Travel Insurance.

Don't Miss These Travel Agent Events and Trainings

Upcoming Webinar
Journey to HawaiiWednesday, September 30, 2026
2:00pm Eastern
Join us on Wednesday, September 30th, 2026 as we take a virtual journey to the islands of Hawaii....
Upcoming Webinar
The Return of Grand VoyagesThursday, October 1, 2026
2:00pm Eastern
As luxury travelers seek deeper, more immersive ways to explore the world, demand for extended voyages...
Upcoming Webinar
Who is Exoticca and bucket list destinationsFriday, October 2, 2026
2:00pm Eastern
Discover the world of Exoticca and see why extraordinary travel doesn’t have to come with an...
Upcoming Webinar
Journey to HawaiiWednesday, September 30, 2026
2:00pm Eastern
Join us on Wednesday, September 30th, 2026 as we take a virtual journey to the islands of Hawaii....
Upcoming Webinar
The Return of Grand VoyagesThursday, October 1, 2026
2:00pm Eastern
As luxury travelers seek deeper, more immersive ways to explore the world, demand for extended voyages...
Upcoming Webinar
Who is Exoticca and bucket list destinationsFriday, October 2, 2026
2:00pm Eastern
Discover the world of Exoticca and see why extraordinary travel doesn’t have to come with an...