Grieving Son Sues American Airlines^® After Father Dies on Flight

John William Cannon planned to honor a loved one. Instead, his life ended thousands of feet in the air, surrounded by strangers who, his family claims, did far too little to help.

The 62-year-old Air Force veteran collapsed between flights on April 28, 2023, during a layover in Dallas. He had flown from Louisville and headed toward Durango, Colorado, to attend a celebration of life. But after losing consciousness while exiting his first flight, American Airlines^® still cleared him to board his connection — despite visible signs of distress.

Trouble in the Air, Help on the Ground — Too Late

As Cannon struggled through the second leg of his trip, his condition worsened. He reportedly slipped in and out of consciousness and labored to breathe. Passengers noticed. The crew, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by his son Kyle, did not act.

American Airlines Flight 4896, operated by regional carrier Envoy Air, landed in Durango. The plane taxied to the gate. One by one, passengers exited. Only after the last traveler walked off did anyone call for medical help.

First responders arrived and administered oxygen. Cannon suffered cardiac arrest in the ambulance. Doctors at Mercy Medical Center pronounced him dead early the next morning.

A Culture of Delay or a Failure to Act?

Kyle Cannon filed the suit in April 2024, alleging that American Airlines and its employees ignored a man in crisis and chose convenience over care. His attorneys called the airline's behavior a symptom of something larger.

"The circumstances of this case represent a tangible manifestation of a corporate culture at American Airlines that prioritizes inaction over intervention," attorneys Joseph LoRusso and Jessica McBryant told PEOPLE.

Flight crews receive training in CPR. Planes carry defibrillators. But no one used them. Kyle believes his father deserved a fighting chance. "He should have been the first person off the plane, but he was the last person," he told The Independent. "It's hard to believe that that could actually happen. But it did."

Grief, Unanswered Questions, and a Push for Change

Cannon's family still struggles to understand how so many failed to act. A nurse who cared for him at the hospital told relatives that the medics who brought him in seemed "traumatized" by the way the situation unfolded, according to The Independent.

His sisters, Molly and Kate, described the pain of piecing together his final hours. They recalled his humor, his passion for motorcycles, and the deep love he had for those around him. Molly remembered waving to him at the airport as he headed through security. It was the last time she saw him alive.

Cannon's family isn't just seeking damages. They want answers. And they want change. Kyle put it simply: "We can't bring him back, but if this could save somebody else's life, that's what he would want," according to The Independent.

According to PEOPLE, American Airlines says it is "reviewing the complaint."

References: Sick Passenger Died After American Airlines Flight Crew Allegedly Delayed Getting Help Until Other Passengers Left Plane: Lawsuit | Family of Air Force vet 'left to die by American Airlines crew' says 'traumatized' medics pushed them to sue after seeing how he was treated