A Windsor family is pushing for more safety measures following the tragic death of a loved one, state side.
Thomas Quigley drove to Detroit Metro Airport last Sept 4, 2018 to pick up his wife, Michelle — after greeting her, he took her luggage and told her to wait while he got the car.
According to their daughter, Amy Facchineri — those were the last words the couple of 48 years would speak to each other.
"My father was on the escalator heading up and he fell while on the escalator and broke his neck," says Facchineri. "The injuries that he sustained that day were catastrophic and he couldn't recover from them — he never regained consciousness."
The 71-year-old died in hospital a day after the fall.
Facchineri tells CTV Windsor, what happened to her father is a terrible tragedy.
"Certainly we wouldn't want that to happen to anyone ever," adds Facchineri. "We're not looking for the airport to ban people from taking luggage on escalators, we're asking them to post signs that highlight what the potential risks are."
Despite escalators being regulated by the state of Michigan, Facchineri doesn't think that's not enough.
"Safety has to come first before everything else and the attention to that safety is the responsibility of the airport."
In a statement to CTV Windsor, the airport authority says "..... While we may modify our signs in the future, we don't have plans to add language prohibiting luggage. In our baggage claim areas, customers have the option to use elevators or escalators..."
Facchineri confirms the family has hired a lawyer to push for a no-luggage sign at all escalators.
(Image courtesy of CTV Windsor)