KTLA - Dr. Nilesh VoraAfter being one of the lucky health care heroes chosen to attend the Super Bowl, Dr. Nilesh Vora, was one of three physicians who saved the life of a woman who began having trouble breathing and experiencing chest pain on their flight back to Los Angeles. No stranger to heroics, Dr. Vora serves as medical director of the MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute at Long Beach Medical Center and over the last year has helped his patients navigate their cancer journey while facing an unprecedented pandemic.

Dr. Vora along with his two friends who are also physicians spent an hour on the flight assessing and treating her as best they could with limited resources until finally they had to recommend the pilot land the plane. They feared she wasn’t going to make it to LA alive. The plane landed in Houston where she was rushed to the emergency department. She had suffered a massive tension pneumothorax, which is a life-threatening condition that occurs when air leaks into the space between the lungs and chest wall. The local Houston ED placed a chest tube immediately – saving her life.

Dr. Vora is not only a hero for the countless patients he has cared for in the community, but for anyone in need, no matter the time or place.

Dr. Vora and his friends were featured on KTLA-5 to share their experience. Watch the full interview.