Bringing Benjamin home

In March of 2025, a devastating event changed the life of a 27-year-old man forever. Benjamin suffered a major cardiac event. His friend performed CPR and immediately called 911. When emergency medical services (EMS) arrived, he was in ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest, requiring immediate resuscitation and transport to a local emergency department. Benjamin was diagnosed with acute hypoxic and hypercapnic respiratory failure secondary to cardiac arrest and aspiration.

The case

Benjamin was intubated for approximately two weeks before receiving a percutaneous tracheostomy. His hospital course was complicated by neurostorming, pneumonia identified in his tracheal aspirate, and intermittent fevers. Tragically, he remained in a persistent vegetative state following his cardiac arrest.

But his story was not going to end in a hospital thousands of miles from his family.

Benjamin had come to the US to attend college. He was the first and only person in his family to attend college and was just one semester away from completing his mechanical engineering degree when this devastating event occurred. Sadly, his previously undiagnosed congenital cardiac disease had stolen his future in an instant.

The repatriation

After a long stay in the hospital, he was medically stable enough for transport. Flying Nurses International (FNI) was entrusted with bringing him home to Cameroon. FNI nurses Isabel and Carly accompanied him as his two registered nurses (RN) medical escort in March 2026.

Their journey did not end when the aeroplane landed. Benjamin and the nurses travelled an additional five hours by ambulance into his village, where arrangements had been made for ongoing care at a local clinic/long-term care near his family.

The homecoming

For his family, this was an emotional homecoming. His mother had not seen her son in three years. Isabel developed an especially close relationship with her, helping her understand Benjamin’s condition and gently encouraging her to touch, hold, cuddle, and speak to her son. This gave his mother the opportunity to reconnect with her child and provide the love only a mother can give.

Although our medical mission ended when we left Cameroon, our connection to our patient and his family didn’t transfer

Carly developed a strong relationship with his brother and the nurse who would continue his care. She provided extensive education on tracheostomy care, PEG (feeding tube) care and tube feeding, medications, and skincare. She researched locally available nutritional products in Cameroon that could be used as equivalents to the dietitian’s prescribed formula and provided the recipe so the family could continue preparing his feeds.

The American hospital sent medical supplies, medications, and approximately one month’s worth of tube-feeding supplies with him. Carly supported the receiving nurse remotely, providing educational materials and guidance to help ensure Benjamin received the safest and most appropriate care possible.

Although our medical mission ended when we left Cameroon, our connection to our patient and his family didn’t. Both Isabel and Carly remained in contact with his brother and extended family. Isabel continued speaking with his mother through WhatsApp each week.

Recently, we received the heartbreaking news that Benjamin had passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family.

Although we could not change what happened to him, we were able to help transport him home – to his village, his mother, his brother, and the people who loved him.

For Flying Nurses International, this journey was never simply a transport. It was about bringing a son home. Benjamin touched our hearts, and his story will remain with us forever.