Nurse & Firefighter Tried To Save Woman Sucked Out Airplane Window

Retired nurse Peggy Phillips tried her best to save the life of a passenger who has partially sucked out a window aboard a Southwest Airlines flight on Tuesday. Shortly after take-off,  the Boeing 737’s engine exploded in midair. The shrapnel from the engine shattered passenger Jennifer Riordan’s window causing the top portion of her body to be pulled outside the plane.

According to witnesses, firefighter, Andrew Needum, and ranch-hand, Tim McGinty managed to pull her back into the aircraft. 

Riordan of New Mexico was unconscious and badly injured, flight attendants called for help performing CPR.

“It was just automatic. I kind of felt like I was sitting there with the mask coming down. I felt very helpless. The minute someone asked if anyone knew CPR, I didn’t feel helpless anymore,” Phillips said. “I was doing what I was trained to do.”

Nurse Peggy Phillips rushed to the woman’s aide. With the help of Needum and McGinty, she attempted to resuscitate the woman. 

“We laid her down and we started CPR,” Phillips recalled. “We continued that for about 20 minutes. We landed while we were still doing CPR and you know, I have to just take my hats off to everyone.” 

The pilot, Tammie Jo Shults a Navy Fighter Pilot, was forced to make an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport where Riordan was pronounced dead. Seven other passengers were treated for injuries. 

Phillips remarked on the bravery of all passengers on that flight in an interview with Good Morning America this morning. 

Image source: Facebook 

“(Andrew) was just the most courageous young man. We had a lot of, I don't consider myself a hero by any stretch, but there were heroes on that plane. I was just doing my job. Andrew was doing his job. I just did what I do. I did what needed to be done, what any registered nurse would do, " she recalled.