Buffalo Grove boy airlifted from ship with bleeding ulcer
A spring break cruise was nearly fatal for a 14-year-old Buffalo Grove boy after two bleeding ulcers forced him to be airlifted off the Carnival Dream ship and then flown by helicopter to a hospital in Puerto Rico for three surgeries.
Stephen Cohn, an eighth-grader at Aptakisic Junior High School, passed out multiple times Monday and Tuesday before the Coast Guard-led 65-person operation evacuated the teen, his mother, and a Carnival nurse from the 1,004-foot-long, 11-story ship.
They were flown on an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter about 30 nautical miles northwest of San Juan to the Medical Center Hospital in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, for emergency treatment.
“The success of this delicate and time-sensitive case is a tribute to the excellent working relationship we have with our maritime and local medical partners,” Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Peter Jones said in a statement. “Medical evacuations are always dangerous, and even more so at night. This young man was safely evacuated and delivered to Centro Medico only due to the diligence and professionalism of all parties involved.”
Stephen Cohn, who plays trumpet in the school's band and is an avid sports fan, is resting in his hospital room, feeling better and anxious to come home Tuesday.
“He's back to being Stephen. He's in positive spirits. He wants to go home,” his dad, Mitchell Cohn, said by phone Friday.
The youngster's woes started about noon Monday when he was playing with others in Carnival's Circle C Youth Program. Stephen wasn't feeling well, so he went back to his room. He showered, and vomited blood moments later.
He ran into the hall and yelled for help. A Carnival crew member brought him back into his room, called the onboard 911, and caught Stephen when he fainted.
The boy was taken to the onboard medical center, where the medical staff determined he had lost an extensive amount of blood.
He vomited and fainted again about 7 p.m., which was when the ship's captain decided to contact the Coast Guard.
“We were terrified at the time,” Mitchell Cohn said.
The captain originally planned to divert the ship to San Juan to meet a Coast Guard cutter to make the transfer, but the boy's condition deteriorated into the night with more fainting spells.
“I'm just so amazed at what these people did for us,” Mitchell Cohn said. “I wish every company had the disaster-support process and plan that Carnival has in place. These people were amazing.”
About 4:30 a.m. Tuesday, the teen, his mom, Michelle, and a Carnival nurse were airlifted off the boat.
“I'm not one for this type of adventure,” Michelle Cohn said. “I never thought in my entire life I would go up in a helicopter, off a cruise ship, in the middle of the night, on a rope, (inside a harness). But when you're in situations like this, you do what you have to do.”
Stephen Cohn, who will be a Stevenson High School freshman in the fall, and plays baseball and basketball locally, said Friday he does not remember much, but was feeling better – just tired.
“I was looking forward to a weeklong cruise and some stories to tell about spring break. But this is one heckuva story,” said Stephen, who admitted his second-year Spanish class certainly was helpful since he also was the family interpreter.
Mitchell Cohn said his son should not endure any long-term affects.
“Everything looks positive at this time,” he said. “This could have happened anywhere. But, for whatever reason, we were blessed to be on a boat that was able to handle the situation and make the right decision, at the right time, with the results to get us to the right place. All of the stars aligned for us.
“Had they not done what they did, we would not be having this conversation,” he said.