Neil Armstrong considered one of America’s greatest heroes to have lived. Credited to be the first man on the Moon and saying the famous words like “one small set for man and one giant step for mankind” had undergone bypass surgery in a community hospital in Cincinnati. Shortly after the surgery, he passed away due to post-surgery complications; this lead to the filing of a lawsuit by Neil Armstrong’s family against the hospital.
Neil Armstrong’s Family Received $6 Million In Settlement
According to a media report, after Neil Armstrong’s death, his family received $6 million as part of a lawsuit settlement for mistreatment or poor post-operation care. In early 2012 Neil sought out medical treatment at Mercy Health — Fairfield Hospital for cardiac problems.
The hospital scheduled him for cardiac bypass surgery. According to his wife after the surgery, he seemed fine. He would often walk in the corridors, but when the nurses removed the wires from the pacemaker things got complicated. Blood started to bleed into the membranes surrounding his heart, resulting in a series of cardiac problems leading to his death on 25 August.
Family Warned Hospital of Public Ridicule
In an email to hospital’s lawyer in 2014, Wendy R. Armstrong the lawyer and Neil’s daughter-in-law stated that” Rick and Mark Armstrong, the sons of America’s greatest hero have been solicited by several book writer and movie directors to provide them with information regarding Neil that no one has. Unless the concerned parties reach a settlement the hospital will be publically ridiculed for delivering poor care to America’s hero”.
First Man, the movie on the life of Neil Armstrong has become one of the top Hollywood movies.
Medical Experts Opinion
According to various medical experts, the decision to take Neil to the catheterization lab was a mistake as the patient had internal bleeding and needed surgery to stop it. In either case, the patient had a 50/50 chance of recovery. Taking him to the cath lab was seen as a defensive move which failed. Therefore Neil Armstrong’s family may have been right to fight the lawsuit.
