Another Boeing whistleblower has died after the family of Joshua Dean, a quality auditor for supplier Spirit AeroSystems, confirmed he died at the age of 44 on Tuesday, three months after testifying against the plane-building giant.
Dean had accused Boeing of ignoring warnings about manufacturing defects in the controversial 737 Max in a shareholder lawsuit against Spirit, the maker of the infamous door plug that exploded in mid-air on an Alaska Airlines flight in January.
His aunt, Carol Parsons, confirmed his death in a series of Facebook posts, as did other family members in messages seen by MailOnline. Parsons also confirmed her death in a statement to The Seattle Times.
Parsons told the newspaper that Dean went to a hospital in Wichita, Kansas, where he lived, after experiencing breathing difficulties. During his stay, Dean developed MRSA, pneumonia and had to be intubated.
‘Our thoughts are with Josh Dean’s family. “This sudden loss is shocking news here and to his loved ones,” said Joe Buccino, Spirit AeroSystems spokesman.
Boeing has long denied claims by Dean and other whistleblowers that the company intentionally ignored safety warnings.
Josh Dean was an employee of Spirit AeroSystems based in Wichita, Kansas.
On Monday, Dean was conscious and communicating with doctors, his mother said in a Facebook post. At that time, a doctor told him that he had a ’50/50 chance of living’.
“Josh is very depressed, scared, sleeping a lot and not as responsive as he was a few days ago and has not been taking any sedatives or pain relievers,” his mother wrote.
In his final days, Dean was breathing through an ECMO machine. ‘The doctor asked him if he wanted the machine turned off and he didn’t respond. I told the doctor that he doesn’t know what he wants, I’m sure he wants to live,” his mother added.
She went on to say that her son was sedated and a procedure was performed to investigate the damage caused to his lungs by the pneumonia, from which he recovered.
Doctors discovered that Dean contracted MRSA and tested positive for influenza B, further scanning found that he also suffered a stroke.
On Wednesday, Parsons wrote in a Facebook post: ‘I am grateful for the prayers of my family and friends for this young man. He passed away yesterday morning and his absence will be deeply felt. We will always love you Josh.’
dean’s brother justin died just last January at the age of 26.
In January, Dean said The Wall Street Journal that he was fired because he pointed out that holes had been improperly drilled in a fuselage, something his employer denied.
‘In Spirit it is known that if you make too much noise and cause too much trouble, you will be moved. It doesn’t mean you completely neglect things, but they don’t want you to find everything and write it down,” he said.
Sections of the Boeing Co. 737 fuselage on the Spirit AeroSystems assembly floor in Wichita, Kansas, in a file photo.
In March, another Boeing whistleblower, John Barnett, took his own life amid legal action against Boeing. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Dean and Barnett were represented by the same attorney, Brian Knowles, who declined to speculate about his clients’ sudden deaths in brief comments to the Seattle Times.
‘Whistleblowers are needed. They expose irregularities and corruption in the interest of society. It takes a lot of courage to stand up,” Knowles told the outlet.
Dean described a pizza party held at the Wichita plant to celebrate a decrease in the number of reported defects, saying that conversations over the meal quickly led to the observation that the gains were due solely to underreporting problems.
Dean’s complaints are included in a shareholder lawsuit filed against Spirit in December, alleging the company failed to disclose defects.
Spirit told the Journal that it strongly denies the lawsuit’s allegations and said it remains “focused on the quality of every aircraft that leaves our facilities.”