Paralyzed man says American Airlines chose not to load his wheelchair on flight home from Hawaii
Share and Follow

A man who couldn’t move his body was stranded without his wheelchair when he got back home from Hawaii. He said American Airlines didn’t put it on the plane.

Sam Shivers, who is paralyzed from the waist down, checked in his wheelchair at the American Airlines gate in Hawaii at the end of his one-week vacation with his wife last month, KGUN 9 reported.


Sam Shivers’ wheelchair was nowhere to be found when he and his wife landed in Phoenix from Hawaii. KGUN 9

But when the Tuscon couple landed in Phoenix, the wheelchair was nowhere to be found.

“At that point, I almost felt like throwing up,” Shivers told the outlet. “I was like, ‘Oh my god, what am I going to do?’”

“Without my wheelchair, it’s like I don’t have any legs, I can’t get around,” he said.

Instead, American Airlines somehow sent the wheelchair to Los Angeles.

Shivers and his wife don’t think it’s a mistake.

They noticed another wheelchair and stroller weren’t loaded onto the plane either. Shivers said he would have happily traded his luggage for the wheelchair — had he been told space was an issue.

Once in Phoenix, the couple had to figure out how to get home. They eventually decided to use the airport’s transport chair to get Shivers into his van to head home, where he had a second wheelchair.

American Airlines returned the wheelchair to the couple’s home about eight hours later.

The airline didn’t immediately return a request for comment.


Image of a black wheelchair inside Sam Shiver's home.
Luckily, Shivers had a second wheelchair at home, but the incident has left him shaken. KGUN 9

Shivers says he’s filed a complaint with the Department of Transportation.

Last October, the airline was fined $50 million by the US government which said it “mishandled thousands of wheelchairs by damaging them or delaying their return,” among other violations in the airline’s treatment of passengers with disabilities.

In 2023, American Airlines allegedly lost a disabled Missouri man’s prosthetic leg worth $26,000 — and refused to pay him back.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Giants takeaways, report card from NFL Week 17 win over Raiders

Giants’ Dominant Performance: Key Takeaways and Report Card from Week 17 Triumph Over Raiders

The Giants’ commanding 34-10 win over the Raiders offered several insights worth…
JSO: Woman taken into custody after shooting boyfriend at Northside apartment complex

JSO Arrests Woman for Alleged Shooting of Boyfriend at Northside Apartment Complex

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office reported a shooting incident that took place in…
Fears Anthony Joshua's crash injuries are worse than thought

Concerns Rise Over Anthony Joshua’s Crash: Injuries Potentially More Severe Than Initially Reported

Concerns are mounting over Anthony Joshua’s injuries from a recent car accident,…
Texas substitute teacher, boyfriend charged in child sexual assault investigation

Texas Educator and Partner Face Charges in Disturbing Child Sexual Assault Case

A former substitute teacher from Texas, along with her boyfriend, faces charges…
Texas man charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS in federal terrorism case

Texas Resident Faces Charges for Alleged Attempt to Support ISIS in Federal Terrorism Investigation

A man from Texas has been charged in a federal court for…
I worked for a coroner... these five tips could save your life

Life-Saving Insights from a Coroner’s Office: 5 Essential Tips You Need to Know

While it’s impossible to lead a life completely free of injuries, a…
Missing Texas teen could be in 'imminent danger'

Urgent Search Underway for Texas Teen Believed to Be in Serious Danger

(NewsNation) — Officials have issued an alert regarding a teenager last seen…
3 injured in fight turned shooting at Jacksonville Westside bar, officers said

Three Injured in Altercation Escalating to Shooting at Westside Bar, Reports Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office

Authorities reported that a confrontation erupted inside Tipsy Bar & Grill, where…