I had the same.. Tranny on the Escape (CD4E) is nothing but trouble.
Sorry for your friend but there is no solution, it needs a new tranny.
He could've changed the fluid more often and saved the tranny unfortunately the maintenance manual waits like 90,000 before servicing the tranny..
best thing he can do is source a tranny from a wreck or replace the fluid then add additive and sometimes you get a second wind out of it, just enough to sell the damn thing..
The tranny is the #1 complain on the Escape.
Look at all the complains:
2005 Ford Escape Automatic Transmission Complaints