An American lawyer boarded a Delta flight, excited for the journey ahead, but never made it off the aircraft alive.
An inquest in the UK is now examining how Rachel Green, 44, passed away on the London-bound flight from Minnesota.
“My sister was the absolutely most incredible and selfless person in this world. Rachel was a true saint,” her bereaved sister said.
Highlights
- Rachel Green, 44, lost her life aboard a Delta flight.
- She was traveling from Minnesota to London with her mother next to her.
- An inquest took place, probing the final moments of her life on the aircraft.
An American lawyer boarded a Delta flight with eager anticipation but never made it off the aircraft alive
Image credits: Legacy.com
About a year after Rachel Green was found lifeless on a plane, an inquest in the UK is probing what took place during her final moments.
The lawyer was traveling on a Delta flight, which took off from Minneapolis Saint Paul International Airport on April 30, 2025.
Rachel had big plans for her UK trip and wanted to conduct research for a book she was writing on Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Image credits: Miguel Ángel Sanz/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
While on the seven-and-a-half-hour flight to London Heathrow, she got some shut-eye and fell asleep on her mother’s shoulder.
At some point, Rachel took her last breath mid-air, leaving her mother and the cabin crew members struggling to wake her up.
She tragically “never woke up,” the court heard.
Rachel Green's passing was “instantaneous,” and attempts to resuscitate her were unsuccessful
Image credits: Rachel Green
Rachel worked in insurance and had a love for history, according to her sister Roxanne Carney, who lives in California.
“On April 30th, 2025, we lost an angel on earth and gained one in heaven,” Roxanne said as she paid tribute to her sister.
“My beloved sister and friend to so many, Rachel S. Green, passed away peacefully in her sleep as she was flying from Minneapolis to London for a much-anticipated trip to the UK.”
Image credits: GoFundMe
The inquest heard that the lawyer’s passing was “instantaneous,” and attempts to resuscitate her were unsuccessful.
“This lady simply d*ed whilst on a flight. She was coming to our country to do some research, staying for some time with her mother,” Senior Coroner Lydia Brown said during a recent courtroom session.
“Instead, she did not even get off the plane without her mother and sister being bereaved,” she continued. “Poor Rachel never did [finish] that book. I wish it were different; it is not.”
The 44-year-old lawyer dozed off on her mother's shoulder and never woke up
Image credits: Rachel Green
Addressing the inquest, pathologist Dr. Alan Bates said Rachel’s heart appeared “normal” except for myocardial tunneling, a common congenital heart condition where a coronary artery passes through the heart muscle instead of over it.
The pathologist noted that there was a combination of different substances, including several anti-depressants, melatonin, cannabinoids and a low concentration of alco**l, in Rachel’s system when she dozed off on her mother’s shoulder.
Image credits: GoFundMe
Coroner Lydia said Rachel took a “range of complex medications,” but they found “no evidence she was taking any in excess.”
Rachel struggled with health issues in the past and also received psychiatric care, the inquest heard.
She “had spent the past couple of years recovering from an unexpected illness, relearning to walk, and having to relocate back to her hometown in Minnesota to recuperate. She exuded unyielding strength and courage at even the most difficult times,” said her sister Roxanne, who works in the psychiatric field.
Rachel took a “range of complex medications,” the coroner said
Image credits: GoFundMe
Roxanne questioned the mix of medicines her sister was taking and speculated whether it was unsuitable for her heart condition.
“I wonder why she was never referred to a cardiologist before being prescribed this combination,” she said 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?”
Image credits: GoFundMe
Coroner Lydia replied, saying, “[It is] unusual to find so many different [dr*gs]. Matters are done very differently in the US. There is no evidence that Rachel had any opportunity to be resuscitated. Her d**th appears to have been instantaneous.”
Some netizens speculated whether Rachel’s passing was an “accidental ov*rd*se.”
“Sounds awful to say but she went so peacefully no pain. and with her mama,” one said. “rip angel.”
“It must be some comfort to her mother that her daughter d*ed snuggled next to her,” said another. “She’ll have been the first and last person to hold her.”
“Why do American pharmacies give out prescription medicine like sweets?” one asked online
