As a pilot with an international airline I am surprised that more incidents like this do not occur.
The stress level that you guys in the cabin have to deal with, sometimes when exhausted after 16 hours of duty, and the rudeness of some passengers defies belief. Add to that the personal stress that you bring to work but try to repress, and I can only add to the previous comments of 'respect'.
I smiled when I heard it on the news. There but for the grace of God go I. I think many of us have got near the point when we would like to go out in a blaze of glory, tell someone to stuff it and walk off the job.
Perhaps his HR and medical departments might listen more closely to the next person to come in and say "I need some days off for some stuff at home." This is not an office we work in, it requires sharp people to do sharp things when it all goes wrong.
I wish him every success in his new ventures.