Texas cowboy
Facebook/Kristin McGinty

Texas Cowboy Tried to Save Passenger on Southwest Flight

On Tuesday morning, passengers on Southwest Flight 1380 from New York City to Dallas thought they were going to die as their aircraft dropped thousands of feet after an engine failed and caused a window to explode.

Tragically, passenger Jennifer Riordan was pulled halfway out of the broken window by force. Texas cowboy Tim McGinty was seated a few rows up across the aisle when he saw that Riordan was flying out of the plane. He rushed over and tried to pull her back in. Texas firefighter Andrew Needum joined McGinty in his efforts and they were able to bring Riordan back into the aircraft. A nurse and Needum performed CPR, but at that point, Riordan's injuries were too great, and she passed away.

If one is looking for a positive light within the horrific accident, it's evident that in the plane's cabin, everyday heroes emerged. As Tim's wife, Kristin McGinty, put into perspective on Facebook, "My husband lives his life for others every day, and today was such a strong reminder that life is so precious and that there are good people all around us.... All I kept thinking was do my people know I love them? Have I shown them? Will I get the chance to again?"