‘No thoughts of giving up': Doctor describes effort to save teacher who had heart attack on plane

Kicked back on a cross-country flight to Las Vegas, Dr. Todd Sontag heard the dreaded question he always knew might one day come—and he was the only doctor on board.

“It seemed like it took forever to get to the front of the plane,” said Sontag.

His mind raced as he charged toward John Diem, who was having a heart attack 40,000 feet in the sky.

"Everyone was just trying to will this guy to make it. You could feel all the people on the plane with their support behind you,” said Sontag.

Sontag, a family physician, worked in unison with a retired Orlando firefighter to perform CPR for half an hour and pump medicine through an IV.

Diem wasn't in the right arrhythmia for a defibrillator to work.

"I had no thoughts of giving up. It was just, we're going to keep going until we land,” Sontag said.

Despite the tireless effort, Diem, a husband, father of four, grandpa to nine and Orange County teacher to so many, didn’t make it.

"The fact that all these people stepped up to try to make a difference for him seemed kind of profound because of the difference he made for so many students in his career,” said Dr. Mike Armbruster, a career and technical education teacher at Orange County Public Schools.

He said his good friend gave everything he had to teaching pharmacy.

Diem’s wife, who was traveling with him, said Diem had a passion for helping his students succeed.

"She's very appreciative and she saw the best of humanity on that day, even though it was a difficult day for her," said Armbruster.

Witnesses on the plane believe the rare team of an Orlando doctor and firefighter, a few nurses and the flight crew, gave Diem his best shot at continuing a life committed to others.

"I really don't feel like a hero because more than anything in the world, I wanted him to make it,” Sontag said.

Diem's wife sent a letter to Channel 9: 

John was a fantastic teacher with a passion for pharmacy and helping his students succeed.

He was also a great father to four successful and loving children. By far, his favorite role was that of Grandpa…. A role he was born to play!

We have 9 grandchildren….8 boys and 1 princess!

We have been married 27 years and were looking forward to retiring together and traveling between grandchild locations in FL, MA, NH and VA.

While I would love to meet the doctor, paramedic and nurses that jumped at the chance to help John and I in that horrible moment, I am just not ready yet.

I would like to thank them for all they did and tell them that while John did not make it, I know that they put their hearts and souls into the extreme effort that they made. If John was still with us, he would be the first to step up and shake hands with these wonderful people. This has bolstered my faith in humanity and the kindness that we all need every day.

Beyond all, John was a great husband, father, grandfather, teacher, mentor, friend and all around nice guy! He will be remembered forever and his legacy will be the wonderful students he mentored, and the beautiful grandchildren he shared his love with.

He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.  Thank you so much for taking the time to share this story of the kindness of humans and the greatness of this wonderful man.

Lori Diem

Cox Media Group