Stranded 80-year-old Norwegian Cruise passenger suffered a stroke and was left ... trends now
An 80-year-old grandmother suffered a stroke during a Norwegian cruise and was left behind on a remote African island - and now her family demands the cruise line take accountability.
Julie Lenkoff had embarked on a museum tour on São Tomé and Principe, an island off western Africa, on March 27 when she suddenly collapsed and fell unconscious.
Lenkoff was on the 21-night Norwegian Dawn cruise that saw eight other passengers on a different tour stranded in the capital city of São Tomé the same day.
A spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line told DailyMail.com that Lenkoff was 'medically disembarked' following an evaluation by onboard medical staff, who determined she would need treatment at a local hospital.
It was then the cruise line lost contact with her.
Julie Lenkoff, 80, left her Norwegian Dawn cruise for a tour on São Tomé and Principe, a remote island off western Africa, when she suddenly suffered a stroke
The elderly woman was taken to a local hospital in the capital city of São Tomé after on-board medical staff determined the need for further treatment
She was ultimately flown back to California to reunite with family (pictured: Lenkoff and her daughter Lana Lenkoff Wilken-Gies at Stanford University Medical Center)
'How or who was contacted to get her to the limited medical clinic we do not know,' Lenkoff's daughter, Lana Lenkoff Wilken-Gies, wrote on Facebook.
'We just know that she was left by Norwegian Cruise Line without as much as calling her emergency contacts, or leaving her with her wallet, credit cards, or travel Insurance papers at the clinic…or maybe a note for her to read when she came to. All she had was her passport.'
The elderly woman was 'disoriented and had trouble speaking, seeing or moving her left side of her body' when she woke up, according to Wilken-Gies.
Despite her condition, Lenkoff was released from the hospital 24 hours later.
As she was released in a 'coherent state,' the spokesperson said, 'our protocol is to contact the guest directly, as we would not have the authority to share any medical details with anyone else without their expressed consent.'
The cruise line worked with a port agent in São Tomé and Príncipe to receive updates on the 80-year-old, though it is unclear who that person was in contact with. As for Lenkoff's family, they were left in the dark.
The eight other stranded passengers - including a South Carolina couple, Jay and Jill Campbell - helped the woman navigate the unfamiliar streets of São Tomé.
They retrieved her suitcase after it was left on the dock but were unable to get her credit cards, travel documents and money from the safe in her room, as they had missed the 3 pm 'all aboard' time and were denied re-entry.
Eight other passengers who had been stranded by the same cruise after missing the 3 pm 'all aboard' time helped Lenkoff navigate the city and check into a hotel while staying in touch with her family
Lenkoff's daughter (left) said her mother's credit cards, travel papers and money were left in a safe on the ship, but later turned up under the seat in a tour van
The other passengers helped coordinate getting the 80-year-old on a flight from São Tomé to Lisbon, the first leg of a trip that would reunite her with family in California
Son-in-law Kurt Gies confirmed that Lenkoff had touched down Sunday night and was taken to the emergency room to be evaluated
The other travelers helped Lenkoff find a hotel and stayed with her, all the while
