A Cook County Sheriff’s officer in Illinois saved a woman’s life when she started choking while driving in Ford Heights last month.
Imagine your throat closes up while you’re driving. You can’t breathe. You can’t call for help. That panicked feeling is terrifying.
For one woman, what started as a normal drive turned into a life-or-death situation in seconds.
Surveillance cameras caught the whole thing on Ellis Avenue. A woman was driving her black SUV when she suddenly realized she was choking. She couldn’t breathe at all.
She quickly pulled her car onto the sidewalk and jumped out with her hand on her chest. She was desperate for help.
Officer Zachary Finn was nearby and saw her pull over. He stopped his patrol car right away. The woman walked toward him, trying to show him she couldn’t breathe.
Officer Finn knew exactly what to do. He performed the Heimlich maneuver on her and pushed out whatever was stuck in her throat. Just like that, she could breathe again.
Paramedics came to check on her, but she felt good enough to say no to more treatment. She thanked Officer Finn for saving her and then drove herself home.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office shared the video online. “Hats off to Officer Finn for his quick thinking and life-saving actions!” they wrote.
Officer Finn was in the right place at the right time. His training kicked in when it mattered most and it saved a woman’s life.
WATCH: Quick-Thinking Sheriff’s Officer Saves Choking Driver
