On April 30, 2025, a routine transatlantic flight from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport to London Heathrow should have been the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Rachel S. Green. The 44-year-old Minnesota attorney and aspiring novelist boarded Delta Air Lines Flight DL15 alongside her mother, Mary, eager to immerse herself in the historic landscapes and archives of England. Rachel was researching her historical fiction novel centered on Eleanor of Aquitaine—the powerful 12th-century queen who navigated the treacherous politics of France and England with unmatched cunning and resilience. It was a project Rachel had nurtured quietly for years, a creative outlet that had become even more precious after a difficult period of illness and recovery.
As the Boeing 767 climbed into the night sky, Rachel leaned her head on her mother’s shoulder, drifting into what appeared to be a peaceful sleep. Passengers around them settled in for the seven-and-a-half-hour journey, lulled by the hum of engines and the dim cabin lights. But sometime during the flight, Rachel never woke up.
Cabin crew noticed her stillness. They attempted to rouse her gently at first, then with increasing urgency. When she remained unresponsive, a call went out over the public address system: “If there is a doctor on board, please press your call button.” A physician passenger responded and worked alongside the crew to perform resuscitation efforts—chest compressions, defibrillator attempts, oxygen—but nothing revived her. Rachel Green was pronounced dead while still in her seat, her body covered respectfully as the plane continued toward Heathrow. What should have been a joyful arrival became a scene of unimaginable grief for her mother and the family waiting on the other side of the ocean.
An inquest held at West London Coroner’s Court in January 2026 laid bare the heartbreaking details of that night. Senior Coroner Lydia Brown recorded a verdict of misadventure, concluding that Rachel’s death resulted from the unintended consequences of her prescribed medications combined with an undiagnosed congenital heart condition known as myocardial tunnelling (also called myocardial bridging). “This lady simply died whilst on a flight,” Brown said somberly during the hearing. “She was coming to our country to do some research, staying for some time with her mother. Instead, she did not even get off the plane without her mother and sister being bereaved. Poor Rachel never did finish that book. I wish it were different; it is not.”
Rachel Green was no ordinary passenger. Born and raised in Minnesota, she built a successful career as an attorney specializing in insurance law. Colleagues described her as meticulous, compassionate, and fiercely intelligent—a lawyer who fought for clients with quiet determination. But law was only part of her identity. Rachel had a deep love for history, literature, and the performing arts. She had acted and volunteered with the Lakeshore Players Theatre in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, finding joy in community productions and the camaraderie of fellow enthusiasts.
In recent years, however, Rachel’s life had been marked by struggle. She endured an unexpected illness that forced her to relearn to walk and relocate back to her hometown in East Bethel to recuperate. The ordeal tested her resilience, yet those who knew her said she emerged with even greater empathy. “She exuded unyielding strength and courage at even the most difficult times,” her sister, Roxanne Carney, said in a poignant tribute. Carney, who lives in California and works in the psychiatric field, described Rachel as “the most incredible and selfless person in the world,” a “true saint” who found joy in helping others. Rachel was also the “best aunt” to Carney’s son, Jack, showering him with love and attention.
The UK trip represented a triumphant return to normalcy. Rachel had been writing again—secretly at first, then with growing confidence. Her novel about Eleanor of Aquitaine was halfway complete, and the journey to London was intended to deepen her research: visits to castles, libraries, and historic sites where the queen once walked. Traveling with her mother was meant to make the experience even more meaningful—a shared mother-daughter adventure after years of hardship.
Pathologist Dr. Alan Bates testified at the inquest that Rachel’s heart was structurally normal except for one critical anomaly: myocardial tunnelling in one of her coronary arteries. In this congenital condition, a segment of the artery burrows through the heart muscle rather than lying on its surface. While often asymptomatic and considered benign, myocardial bridging can sometimes compress the artery during heart contractions, restricting blood flow. In rare cases, this has been linked to angina, arrhythmias, or even sudden cardiac events—particularly when combined with other stressors.
Toxicology reports revealed a cocktail of substances in Rachel’s system: several antidepressants, melatonin (a sleep aid), cannabinoids (likely for anxiety or pain management), and a low concentration of alcohol. There was no evidence of recreational drug use or overdose; all substances were prescribed. Coroner Brown noted that the combination, while not excessive, likely interacted fatally with the heart condition. “There is no evidence that Rachel had any opportunity to be resuscitated,” Brown stated. “Her death appears to have been instantaneous.”
The revelation raised troubling questions for Rachel’s family, particularly Carney. She pointed out that Rachel had undergone an “abnormal” heart test in the United States years earlier but was never referred to a cardiologist. “I wonder why she was never referred to a cardiologist before being prescribed this combination,” Carney asked during the inquest. “Why was she on this regimen? Why are they prescribing this combination of medications? If you can see all the records, ethically, how can you do this?”
Brown acknowledged the concern but cautioned against direct criticism of the American healthcare system. “It is unusual to find so many different [drugs],” she said. “Matters are done very differently in the US.” The coroner emphasized that the inquest’s purpose was to determine the cause of death—not to assign blame or explore potential negligence. Still, the family has not ruled out future civil action against Rachel’s U.S. physicians.
Rachel’s story highlights broader issues in modern medicine and air travel. Polypharmacy—the use of multiple medications—is increasingly common, especially among patients managing mental health, sleep disorders, and chronic pain. Antidepressants, while life-saving for many, have been associated in some studies with an elevated risk of sudden cardiac death, particularly when combined with other factors like heart anomalies. Myocardial bridging, affecting up to 25% of the population to varying degrees, is often discovered incidentally and dismissed as harmless. Yet when it coincides with pharmacological stressors, the outcome can be devastating.
In-flight medical emergencies add another layer of complexity. Commercial aircraft are not equipped like hospitals; cabin pressure, dehydration, immobility, and limited medical resources can exacerbate underlying conditions. Delta’s crew followed protocol—calling for onboard medical help and attempting resuscitation—but the instantaneous nature of Rachel’s death left little room for intervention. Such tragedies are rare but not unheard of; studies estimate that in-flight cardiac arrests occur in about 1 in 1.5 million flights, with survival rates low due to the environment.
For Rachel’s loved ones, the loss remains raw. Carney has spoken openly about her sister’s legacy, describing her as someone who “gave to everyone” and guided others toward goodness—whether through travel, theater, or quiet acts of kindness. Rachel’s involvement with Lakeshore Players Theatre brought her immense joy in her final months; she participated in productions and supported the group financially and emotionally. In her honor, Carney established a fundraiser to benefit the theater and to purchase a memorial for Rachel at Golders Green Crematorium in London—close to where her life ended.
Perhaps the most poignant element is the unfinished novel. Eleanor of Aquitaine’s story—of a woman who defied expectations, wielded power in a male-dominated world, and endured profound personal losses—mirrored aspects of Rachel’s own resilience. Rachel had confided in her sister that writing the book felt like reclaiming her voice after illness had silenced so much. Carney has expressed a desire to complete it, preserving her sister’s words as a final tribute.
Rachel Green’s death was not the result of malice or recklessness but of a tragic convergence: an undiagnosed heart anomaly, a carefully managed regimen of medications, and the isolated confines of an airplane at 35,000 feet. It serves as a sobering reminder of life’s fragility and the importance of thorough medical oversight. For her family, friends, and the theater community she loved, Rachel remains an “angel on earth” now watching from heaven.
As coroner Lydia Brown reflected, “I wish it were different; it is not.” In the quiet aftermath of a flight that never reached its joyful destination, those words echo with profound finality. Rachel Green boarded that plane with dreams of history, literature, and renewal. She left behind a legacy of kindness, an unfinished story, and a family forever changed.
