Envoy ramp instructor Jorge Manalang was heralded a hero when he prevented a service vehicle that had spun out of control at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, from colliding with an aircraft on the ramp.
The incident was captured on film and shared millions of times on social media. Manalang can be seen lunging towards the cart at just the right moment, using his back to flip it over and out of harm’s way.
“I’m incredibly proud of Jorge’s actions, he not only prevented severe damage to the aircraft, but more importantly, he prevented what could have been serious injury to his fellow ramp employees or our customers onboard,” said Ricky Deane, Envoy Vice President in Chicago.
“He demonstrated the ‘safety first’ focus that we have here at the hub, it’s the foundation of everything we do.”
The catering vehicle was parked by the Embraer 140 aircraft loading beverages for the outbound flight, when a case of water slipped onto the gas pedal and sent the cart spinning wildly in reverse.
“I was just doing my job,” said Manalang.
“Safety is our number one priority and I did not want anyone to get hurt, so I used the pushback to stop the cart.”
A special award of recognition is being planned to thank Manalang for his heroinism.
