A quick thinking foot doctor is being hailed as a hero after he saved the life of an airline passenger by following his instincts and disobeying orders from air officials on the ground.

Dr. Michael Nirenberg was onboard an American Airlines flight from Reno, Nevada to Chicago, Illinois when another passenger in his mid-60s lost consciousness. As a podiatrist, which is a doctor that specializes in the foot and ankle, Nirenberg was the only medical professional on the airplane.

Nirenberg and a retired nurse immediately stepped up and rushed to help the man. After examining him, the podiatrist and former nurse spent forty minutes giving the man CPR and monitoring his vitals on a portable EKG while the plane changed course for an emergency landing in Denver.

“After almost 30 years of taking courses to re-certify in CPR, this was the first time I needed to use it,” Nirenberg recalled.

At one point, an American Airlines doctor who was communicating with the flight crew from the ground orders Nirenberg to not put the passenger on an IV, but he thankfully ignored this and did it anyway.

“I and the nurse knew an IV needed to be put in and when the crew member said the doctor on the phone didn’t want an IV put in, we just looked at each other like ‘that makes no sense’ and I said to her, ‘he needs an IV’ and she agreed and we kept going,” he said. “I knew if the man’s condition worsened, the EMTs would need an IV and we could have this ready for them. That time could mean the difference between life and death.”

“Also, the medications I saw he was on did not make me think he had a kidney failure issue and so fluids would probably be okay,” he added. “And given that his blood pressure was very low, the fluids could bring it up. Once we did get fluids in, his blood pressure did come up. Frankly, the doctor on the phone was not there. The man’s life was all on me. I had to go with my instincts.”

EMTs arrived as soon as the plane landed in Colorado and took the man away. The entire plane then gave Nirenberg a round of applause. Ann Riegle Crichton, another passenger onboard the flight, said it was an “an amazing experience” for everyone involved.

“There was absolutely no complaining or whining from anyone on that plane, even during the emergency landing and delay. We all knew we were part of an amazing moment in time,” she said “And, after it was over and the passenger went on with the EMTs, the flight staff went right on with their jobs, serving drinks, helping with connections, etc. It was a memorable flight, for sure!”

As a thank you for his heroic actions, American Airlines has awarded Nirenberg with 25,000 free travel miles, but he humbly says he was just in the right place at the right time.

“I was flying back a day early from [a medical conference] so I could drive my 18-year-old-son off to his first year of university,” he said. “Normally, I would have stayed until Friday. So it was really a miracle that I was on the flight on Thursday.”

“It was a team effort. The nurse and the crew should be recognized for their amazing work, assistance and everyone staying calm and focused,” he added. “I am just glad I and the nurse were on the flight—but next time, I think I’ll drive!”