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Thirteen years ago, Barrett, a Marine on leave from Desert Storm, dived into Oneida Lake, in New York. The water was low and the dive damaged his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed, unable to breathe on his own.

Barrett's surgery, pioneered in Cleveland, uses electrodes implanted in Barrett's diaphragm muscles and phrenic nerve - the diaphragm's direct link to the brain - to force air into his lungs.

February 17,2005 – After 2-day delay, man breathing easier

By: Diana Keough

Phil Barrett was well prepared for his afternoon flight to Cleveland Saturday. A quadriplegic, Barrett arranged with US Airways for two seats: An extra-wide seat for his wheelchair and ventilator; another seat for a nurse who would make the trip with him.

Barrett was on his way to Cleveland to have a unique surgery at University Hospitals that would allow him to breathe without his ventilator. He made sure he brought along backup batteries, as well as an "Ambu-Bag" his nurse could use to ventilate him by hand. Just in case. He knew what to do, having done it so many times already.

Before his flight, he checked in three hours early at Tampa (Fla.) International Airport and reminded the ticket agent that he was traveling with a ventilator. She put a sticker on his shirt indicating he could board early. When his flight was announced, his nurse pushed him into his assigned seat and waited for everyone else to board. What Barrett, 34, didn't plan on was the pilot and flight attendant taking one look at his ventilator and concluding he wouldn't be making the trip to Cleveland after all and ordering him removed from the flight.

According to the airline, flight personnel followed procedures developed to comply with the Air Carrier Access Act, including contacting medical consultants before ordering Barrett off.

"He was begging and pleading with them not to take him off the flight," said Barrett's sister, Lisa Cornish, of Syracuse, N.Y. "Being wheeled off the plane in front of everybody was humiliating."

Thirteen years ago, Barrett, a Marine on leave from Desert Storm, dived into Oneida Lake, in New York. The water was low and the dive damaged his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed, unable to breathe on his own.

Barrett's surgery, pioneered in Cleveland, uses electrodes implanted in Barrett's diaphragm muscles and phrenic nerve - the diaphragm's direct link to the brain - to force air into his lungs. It allows those with spinal cord injuries to breathe without a ventilator. Actor Christopher Reeve, paralyzed in a horse riding accident, had the same surgery at UH in 2003.

Originally scheduled for Monday, Barrett's surgery was finally done Wednesday, after he was flown here on a private jet. Its owners heard about Barrett's story after it was broadcast on WTSP Channel 10 in Tampa.

On Tuesday, Dr. Raymond Onders, a surgeon at University Hospitals of Cleveland specializing in minimally invasive techniques, performed Barrett's pre-surgery checkup. Afterward, Onders said he wheeled Barrett to the bus stop.

"Phil had absolutely no problem taking public transportation back to his hotel, but he couldn't board a commercial airline," said Onders, laughing. The surgery went well. "His left diaphragm is stressing me a little bit," Onders said. "I'm confident we'll get it working."

Barrett, the 15th patient to undergo this surgery, will begin rehab at home in two weeks.

Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist complained to the airline's chief executive on Tuesday that federal law bans airlines from refusing to transport people with disabilities.

"We take these matters seriously and are in the process of conducting an internal review of the incident and our procedures to understand what transpired," Christopher Chaimes, a senior vice president, responded in a letter to Crist.

"I think that's a regrettable response," Crist told The Plain Dealer. "Bear in mind, Mr. Barrett has flown about 20 times with his current situation, without issue, I might add."

Wednesday, Barrett's sister focused on the future. "The first thing he wants to do when he wakes up is look down and see those wires on his chest," Cornish said.

She said now that her brother won't be tethered to a ventilator - needing to be suctioned every hour or so - he is planning to go back to college and finish his business degree. She hopes, though, he will pursue an art degree. "He draws beautiful pictures with his mouth," she said.

Around dinnertime Barrett woke up for just a moment, glanced down at the wires on his chest and said, "I made it."
© 2005 The Plain Dealer. Used with permission.