Rockland Resident Receives Medal For Saving Life On Airplane

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — State Sen. Bill Weber honored Naftali Schischa, an EMT and volunteer with Hatzoloh of Rockland, for heroic action on a plane flight from New York to Florida.

On Jan. 25, on a flight from LaGuardia to Fort Lauderdale, a female passenger collapsed in the aisle. Schischa heroically stepped in, offered medical aid, and saved her life. He also prevented the plane from being re-routed, permitting all the passengers to get where they needed to go on schedule, Weber said.

On Friday at the Hatzoloh of Rockland headquarters, Senator Bill Weber awarded Schischa with a Liberty Medal, the highest honor that can be bestowed by a senator. The medal includes a resolution that gets voted on by the entire New York State Senate. Criteria for receiving a Liberty Medal include taking heroic, extraordinary action in service of others, such as law enforcement and first responders acting outside their jobs, above and beyond the call of duty.