Nurse duo performs CPR on 77-year-old during Southwest flight to Phoenix
A 77-year-old passenger suffered a heart attack on a Southwest plane and was revived by a retired nurse and a nurse practitioner who performed CPR in the aisle.
On July 29, a Southwest Airlines flight en route from Omaha to Phoenix experienced a medical emergency when 77-year-old passenger Patrick McGee suffered a heart attack and cardiac arrest. Retired critical-care nurse Lora Holton, seated nearby, immediately started CPR and later passed the role to nurse practitioner Kaitlyn Louchheim, who was also on the plane. The two nurses worked within the narrow cabin aisle, even positioning themselves on top of McGee to deliver effective compressions, until the aircraft landed at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Paramedics transferred McGee to a hospital where he recovered and later sought the identity of his rescuers. After a public appeal, he was connected with Louchheim, expressing deep gratitude, while she modestly described the incident as being in the right place at the right time.
Why it matters
The story highlights how trained bystanders can save lives in unexpected, confined settings like an aircraft cabin.
In this story