(NewsNation) — Kenneth Allen was grounded by the FAA after he experienced a mid-flight medical emergency while flying in May 2022. Almost a year and a half later, he finally got his wings back.

At 12,000 feet, Allen passed out mid-flight and nearly died. The two passengers he was flying with managed to safely land the plane with assistance from an air traffic controller, despite having no prior flight experience.

Allen experienced stroke-like symptoms when his aorta — a main artery — tore mid-flight.

Just five minutes before he passed out on May 10, he recorded a video of him flying over the Atlantic.

Allen escaped death and was rushed to St. Mary’s Hospital once the plane landed. He was then transferred to Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center where surgeons worked to repair an extensive tear in his aorta.

“It really is nothing short of a miracle that he was even able to get to us,” Dr. Nishant Patel said. “The tear involved the first part of the aorta, which is what necessitated the heart surgery. But then tear then also extended all the way down his aorta into his abdomen.”

Patel was the heart surgeon who repaired Allen’s ruptured aorta.

FAA rules state if a pilot has a medical emergency, that pilot can’t fly again without being medically cleared by the administration. For clearance, Allen had to provide all the paperwork from doctors regarding that death-defying incident and a detailed progress report from a vascular surgeon.

For 17 months, Allen lost what he loved doing for the last 30 years.

After a year’s worth of doctor visits and seeing specialist after specialist, Allen received the medical clearance necessary to get back in the cockpit and fly by himself.

When it was his time to fly again, Allen was all smiles and right at home.

“Now look at me, I’m back in the air,” Allen said.

He said he will never forget what happened to him while he was flying, but after the scariest flight of his life, he explained it’s only up from here.

Allen said he has flown just about every day since he was cleared by the FAA.

“It feels good to get back in this plane,” Allen said. “Real good.”

But while his wife is happy he got his wings back, she said she will miss the extra time she was spending with him.

Plus, Allen said he isn’t afraid this will happen again. He said he’s had many tests done and has been reassured by the experts in their medical fields that he wouldn’t have to worry again.

“The stars literally had to align,” Patel said. “To see him go through all of that, get back on his feet and get approval to fly truly is amazing.”

Now, Allen’s counting his blessings because he said he knows how lucky he is.

“It’s just a miracle in my mind. God was looking out for us there,” Allen said.