The Southwest flight that was forced to make an emergency landing after its left engine broke has captivated public interest and dominated headlines for the last 24 hours.
Southwest flight 1380 took off at 10:27 a.m., but about 20 minutes into the flight, something on the left engine broke away and flew into a passenger window, ripping a hole in the side of the plane and sucking a female passenger out.
But one man quickly sprung into action, grabbed the woman and yanked her back onboard, which prevented her from plummeting 32,500 feet out of the plane.
That man is named Tim McGinty. He’s gained public recognition from his signature black cowboy hat and works in farm and ranch real estate. He and a firefighter nearby helped to pull the woman back into the plane and helped her get medical attention and CPR. The woman died of her injuries later, however.
“You just thought it would be over,” Tim McGinty said of his horrifying flight on #Southwest earlier today @NBCPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/yASEMISZXu
— Alicia Lozano (@aliciavlozano) April 17, 2018
But McGinty’s actions have not gone unnoticed. His wife, who was sitting a few rows away, told USA Today that he’s a hero.
“My husband loves God and believes our purpose here is to love fiercely and to serve others … Some heroes wear capes, but mine wears a cowboy hat,” she said.
What a truly remarkable guy. Not only did he spring into action as soon as a crisis broke out, he seems to have kept his cool the entire time. It’s an example of another good guy in a cowboy hat helping to make this country look even more impressive than it already is.
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