Kenyan Nurse Uses Military Training to Save Passenger's Life Mid-Flight

A passenger who collapsed on a United Airlines flight from Brussels to Boston on 8 January was treated mid-air by a Kenyan-born registered nurse after the crew asked for medical assistance.

The nurse, Ms Irene Jepchirchir Masai, known as Chirie Masai, was travelling to the United States after spending the Christmas holidays in Kenya. When no doctor initially responded to the crew’s call for help, she identified herself and moved to assist the unwell passenger.

At the rear of the aircraft, Ms Jepchirchir found the man unconscious. Using her clinical training and experience, she helped him regain consciousness and monitored his condition for an extended period. She remained with him until the aircraft landed safely in the United States and advised him to seek further medical evaluation on arrival.

Ms Jepchirchir later described her actions as part of her professional responsibility, saying she had managed similar situations during her previous service in the military. She said responding to medical emergencies was a core part of her training.

Passengers reported visible relief after the situation was brought under control, following a period of concern inside the cabin. United Airlines acknowledged her assistance by crediting her ticket. 

She was raised in Kerita, Uasin Gishu County, and attended Moi Girls’ High School in Eldoret. After completing secondary school, she qualified for admission to Moi University but chose to focus on athletics, joining a training camp in Kapsabet with the aim of securing a scholarship abroad.

She later enrolled at Oklahoma Christian University in the United States, where she began her studies before transferring and completing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She went on to earn a Master of Science in Public Health from Liberty University.

Her career later expanded into military service. Ms Jepchirchir served for four years as a Sergeant with the United States Army Special Operations Command, working with the 95th Brigade’s Civil Affairs unit under Africa Command. The role combined healthcare support with humanitarian and security-related responsibilities.

She currently works as a registered nurse in the United States and is pursuing a doctoral degree at Tufts University in Massachusetts, combining academic research with clinical practice. Her family background reflects a strong emphasis on education and public service. 

Several of her sisters are nurses based in the United States and Australia, one sibling serves in the US Army, and others are working in fields including technology, education and leadership across different countries.