Boeing-Linked Whistleblower Useless, the Second in 2 Months

• A Kansas man is now the second whistleblower linked to Boeing to die within the final two months
• Household stated Joshua Dean died after contracting influenza B, MRSA and creating pneumonia
  
• The 45-year-old man was reportedly among the many first whistleblowers to accuse Spirit AeroSystems management of ignoring defects on the 737 MAX

One other whistleblower who raised considerations about Boeing plane product security has died, the second within the final two months.

Joshua Dean, of Wichita, Kan., died the morning of Tuesday, April 30, after experiencing a sudden sickness, in keeping with Seattle Occasions and Newsweek. He was 45.

Dean had beforehand labored as a high quality auditor at Boeing provider Spirit AeroSystems and was among the many first whistleblowers to accuse Spirit management of ignoring defects on the 737 MAX.

“Our ideas and prayers are with Josh and his household,” stated Dean’s legal professionals Brian Knowles and Rob Turkewitz in a press release obtained by PEOPLE. “He possessed large braveness to face up for what he felt was true and proper and raised high quality and issues of safety.”

Carol Parsons, Dean’s aunt, stated her nephew was in crucial situation for 2 weeks previous to his dying, in keeping with the Occasions. He was apparently in good well being earlier than falling sick, as nicely.

“Our ideas are with Josh Dean’s household,” a spokesperson for Spirit AeroSystems says in a press release obtained by PEOPLE. “This sudden loss is beautiful information right here and for his family members.”

Dean started working for Spirit in 2019, returning in 2021 after he was laid off as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, in keeping with Time.

In October 2022, Dean raised considerations about what he alleged had been manufacturing defects within the 737 MAX, TIME and Newsweek reported. He was fired just a few months later, in April 2023.

By no means miss a narrative — join PEOPLE’s free every day publication to remain up-to-date on one of the best of what PEOPLE has to supply, from movie star information to forcing human curiosity tales.

Dean then filed a grievance with the Division of Labor claiming he was fired in retaliation for elevating considerations relating to the defects, in keeping with the Occasions.

He additionally filed a grievance with the Federal Aviation Administration accusing Spirit of “critical and gross misconduct by senior high quality administration of the 737 manufacturing line.

Dean went to the hospital lower than three weeks in the past after he began having hassle respiration, Parsons instructed the Occasions. 

His household stated in posts on social media that Dean was first identified with influenza B and MRSA, a bacterial an infection, earlier than creating pneumonia, per Time’s report.

Dean was ultimately airlifted to a hospital in Oklahoma Metropolis and later placed on an ECMO machine. A CT scan revealed he had skilled a stroke sooner or later.

“He’s within the worst situation I’ve ever recognized or heard of. Even the hospital agrees,” the previous high quality auditor’s sister-in-law, Kristen Dean, stated in a Fb publish on April 2.

Dean’s dying was introduced three days later. Knowles and Turkewitz inform PEOPLE his dying “is a loss to the aviation group and the flying public.”

“Aviation firms ought to encourage and incentivize those who do increase these considerations,” Knowles and Turkewitz say. “In any other case, security and high quality are actually not these firms’ prime priorities.”

Dean’s dying occurred lower than two months after one other Boeing-linked whistleblower, John Barnett, was discovered useless on March 9 in Charleston, S.C., the place he was delivering a deposition in reference to a whistleblower lawsuit towards Boeing.

The Charleston County Coroner’s Workplace stated the 62-year-old Louisiana man died from an obvious suicide, in keeping with a press release beforehand obtained by PEOPLE. 

Legal professionals for Barnett stated their shopper “was in superb spirits” on the time, and was “actually trying ahead to placing this section of his life behind him.” They described him as “a courageous, sincere man of the best integrity” who “cared dearly” concerning the Boeing firm, his Boeing co-workers and those that flew on Boeing plane.

“We didn’t see any indication he would take his personal life,” Knowles and Robert Turkewitz stated in a press release beforehand obtained by PEOPLE. “Nobody can consider it.”