GROVES, Texas — A ride operator at the Groves Pecan Festival is being called a hero after hanging 30 feet in the air to keep a child safe.
The incident happened around 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
What started as a fun-filled weekend turned into a horrifying situation for one Groves mother, daughter and a festival employee.
"We just wanted to have a little fun, you know a family day. We went and got the wristbands. That was the first ride she wanted to do," said Caress Muraira, mother of the child.
Groves City Marshal Norman Reynolds told 12News that he was nearby the ride when someone told him to look up. Reynolds said that's when he saw the ride operator hanging in the air.
The ride operator was helping 12-year-old Juliana Bernal when the wind picked up and caused the car of The Bullet to take off with the Bernal inside. The ride operator held onto the car as it went into the air according to Reynolds.
The door of the car was open as the operator hung on to the car 30 feet in the air.
Video shows the operator using his foot to close the door, to keep the Bernal safe.
"It started going slow at first and he was trying to stop it, her door wasn't closed. So I started freaking out, as he went to close the door he just kind of flew up with it. My daughter was up there and talking to him. Saying please hang on. Don't fall," said Muraira.
Muraira said she will never forget those frightening moments when her daughter was stuck in the air on The Bullet.
"She kept telling me 'mommy I'm okay, I just want to let you know I'm okay," Muraira told 12News.
Other employees emptied the car on the ground and were then able to lower the car with the child and operator.
The ride operator was shook up after ordeal according to Reynolds.
Muraira said there's no doubt in her mind the ride operator is a hero.
"Felt like the longest time of my life you know? I have seen this stuff happen on social media before. You never think it's going to happen to you and then it happened. I am just so happy my daughter was saved, and am so grateful to that man," she said.
In the chaos of it all Muraira said they didn't get to thank the worker who risked his life for her daughter.
"My daughter did say she saw blood on his fingers from where he was holding on, that's why she was worried. I just wanted to make sure he was okay... They took him and that's when we weren't able to contact him. So hopefully she gets to say thank you,' said Muraira.
The operator and the child were both uninjured.
12News also spoke with the owner of Kenny's Funland. He said it was an unfortunate accident, and thanks to their safety protocol, the story has a happy ending.
The ride was shut down for the rest of the day.