Seymour Papert - Accident in Hanoi

Accident in Hanoi

While attending the 17th ICMI Study conference in Hanoi, Papert (78) was struck by a motorcycle while crossing a road near his hotel on Tuesday December 5, 2006. He underwent brain surgery at the French Hospital of Hanoi on Wednesday December 6 to remove the blood clot that had formed. By the evening of Tuesday December 12, he was in stable but critical condition. Experts feared a deterioration if a MEDEVAC could not be flown as quickly as possible to either Paris or Boston, the only two hospital locations with the necessary expertise for the much needed specialist neuro-intensive care. There was at the time no mission compliant, long range Ambulance ICU Jet anywhere available including, except for one of four Swiss Air Ambulance Challenger Jets, based half way around the globe at the REGA HQ, Zurich International Airport in Switzerland.

On December 16, 2006 he was transferred by the highly specialized, ICU equipped, Swiss Air Ambulance Bombardier Challenger Jet http://www.rega.ch/, reportedly made possible and organized in a bold and daring action by the Swiss banker, Pascal Najadi, who was able to convince the REGA Flight Operations over the phone from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, (perhaps because he was an active patron of the REGA Swiss Air Ambulance) to swiftly approve the decision to fly without any payment guarantees and assemble at highest possible speed within 48 hours the necessary flight plan, specialized doctors, logistics and Vietnam airspace (Northern Sector) entry clearances for the Jet to take off from Zurich HQ, via Lahore to Hanoi, then to proceed with the critical patient in full ICU care of specialized Swiss Doctors and immediate family on board, via Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Edmonton to Boston, Massachusetts, where the plane was met by US Customs (thanks to the help of Senator John Kerry). Prof. Papert was transferred straight from the tarmac to the Mass General Hospital's neuro-intensive care unit, attended by Dr. William Curry, Dr. Lee Schwam, and Dr. Matsuza for immediate and critical specialist care.

The highly experienced Swiss flight crew of the Swiss Ambulance Challenger Jet had to pay special attention to ultra soft landings at fuel stops and special climb step procedures, not to harm the patient's critical condition during the long haul transfer flight. The doctors concluded that the patient was extremly stable during the flight thanks to the careful handling of the flight operation. The only other capable hospital in the world equipped for such critical specialized neuro-intensive care like the one needed in Prof. Papert's case, was the American Hospital in Paris, but Boston was chosen due to the proximity to his home in Maine.

On January 23, 2007 he was then transferred to a hospital in his home state of Maine. In March 2007, he suffered an attack of septicemia, which required treatment in the hospital until May. Another problem occurred in April, when he had to have a heart valve replaced due to the septicemia. As of 2008, he has fully recovered from the septicemia and heart operation, and can think clearly, walk "almost unaided", and communicate. However, he still has "some complicated speech problems", and is still undergoing extensive rehabilitation, although he is at home.

His rehabilitation team is using some of the very principles of experiential, hands-on learning which he pioneered to aid him in recovery.