ORLANDO, Fla. – A Transportation Security Administration officer cut his coffee break short recently to help save a passenger who was found unresponsive at Orlando International Airport.
The TSA said in a news release Monday that Officer Kenneth Ordenana was having his usual coffee break around 5:30 a.m. when a member of the airport’s cleaning crew ran over and said there was a man lying unresponsive in a bathroom.
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“My initial reaction was shock,” Ordenana said. “Is this really happening? One hundred thoughts raced through my mind not knowing what to expect while I was heading to the bathroom ready to dial 911 with my phone already in hand.”
When he arrived inside the men’s restroom, Ordenana realized the man wasn’t breathing and didn’t have a pulse so he immediately began CPR while on the phone with 911.
Soon thereafter a Delta employee who is a certified first responder joined Ordenana in performing life-saving measures. Ordenana said he was happy to have the extra help since his CPR certification wasn’t up to date and the Delta employee’s was.
“Life is precious,” Ordenana said. “Although I do not know this man, never met this man before, I had tremendous compassion and empathy for him. The only thing on my mind was I wanted him to get through this and for him to live.”
The TSA officer and the Delta employee continued the joint effort for about 10 minutes until first responders arrived. The man had a pulse and was breathing on his own when medics took him to a hospital.
“The man would not have made it the 10 minutes it took for additional help to arrive without Ordenana’s actions,” Orlando Deputy Federal Security Director Greg Hawko said. “We are proud he is a member of Team MCO. His quick thinking and care of others, especially during the current environment of distancing, saved a man’s life.”
Ordenana said the rescue was a team effort and he was thankful to everyone involved, including the custodian who found the man, the Delta employee who didn’t hesitate to help, the 911 dispatcher who ensured that first responders would arrive and the medics who transported the man to receive further treatment.
“Every single minute counted,” Ordenana said. “I am just grateful I was in the right place at the right time to do something about it alongside the Delta employee.”
He had a message for anyone who may be presented with the opportunity to help others.
“A single act of kindness throws roots in all directions and the roots spring up and make new trees,” he said. “We don’t know what troubles others are going through in this chaotic world; it is also called being human. Whether it’s family, financial, personal or health, it’s important to be kind to one another more than ever because we do have a choice – a choice on how to treat others. A single and simple act of kindness can make someone’s day and the power to change someone’s life. So choose kindness.”