Kudos to Golden Fire & PD

[sal]

Hi,

Just an experience to share. Gail and I were having lunch yesterday. A gentleman n the next table was choking on his lunch. His associate was trying to give him the heimlich maneuver and it wasn't working. The man choking was a very large man, maybe 350 lbs. My wife Gail thought it was time to intervene (Gail was a firefighter and an EMT). His associate and I lifted the man to expose his chest and Gil took 3 shots to clear his throat. Direct punches to his solar plexus. The 3rd shot, which took all of her strength, cleared his throat.

Then, for some reason, he became violent. He punched Gail in the side (cracked a rib) and I stepped in between he and Gail. He swung at me for a while (no damage), I pushed him into a table, Then he continued to swing at me, I kept his attention until he passed out.

The Golden Fire department and the Golden Police department were on scene within a few minutes and took over the situation. It took 6 of them to control him when he woke up. We're proud of their response and proud to have them in our community.

sal

[Ranger_Ike]

Wow! Wow, that is a crazy story. I hope you are both doing well. Glad you were there to help, and everyone was ok when it was all over with.

[kennethsime]

Wow Sal, I am glad that it didn’t escalate beyond that. Kudos to you and Gail for saving his life.

Here’s hoping that Gail is able to make a swift recovery.

[skeeg11]

Wow, wow, wow! Hope Gail mends soon and thank BOTH of you for being of service to your community.

[nerdlock]

I'm sorry to hear about your wife Gail's injury. I am a trained responder myself where I'm at and I have had my share of responding to emergencies, but so far I haven't met anyone who became violent during/after treatment. That is surely a rare occurrence and he might have misinterpreted the punches to clear his throat as a physical assault. Kudos to Gail also for clearing the man's throat and preventing him from suffocating. I hope you guys are ok and are recovering after this incident.

[Bolster]

What a story! Hope Gail heals quickly. "No good deed goes unpunished" right? Imagine what that guy's reaction will be when he discovers the person who saved his life, and whom he injured, is "knife royalty." I would not want to be that guy.

I've seen something a little similar at a Jiu Jitsu competition...a competitor is submitted but doesn't tap, so loses consciousness in a choke hold...goes still for a few seconds...the match is over...they roll the guy on his side to recover...then he revives and becomes a whirlwind of fists and kicks (while still on the ground) until he gets his wits about him, and realizes that the match is over.

Sounds like the guy went nearly unconscious while choking, Gail brought him back, then 350 lbs thrashed around for awhile, and then...he went unconscious again? How odd.

[Mushroom]

The old saying “no good deed goes unpunished” rings true in the case.

You and Gail did the right thing and saved the man’s life but I’m sorry to hear about what transpired afterwards. Will pray for a speedy recovery.

[RustyIron]

Dude!
That’s quite the tale. You guys took the noble path, which not always comes without hardship. I wish Gail a speedy recovery. And you deserve some kudos as well. I’m sure many of us who are under the influence of testosterone would want to react by punching the guy in the face. It’s a challenging impulse to control.

[aaronkb]

Glad you guys are relatively ok! Fractured ribs are no joke though, I hope she heals soon.

[SpyderGrill]

Gail Thank you for stepping up and saving a mans life. I hope you recover soon and are not afraid to help another person in the future.

Most anyone would have cried after you saved them and not act like that.

I also hope im never in that position because I wouldnt know what to do.

[Naperville]

Good reaction by all the rescuers to the events spiraling out of control. Terrible that the rescued party was in bad spirits / bellicose.

[James Y]

Thanks to Gail, Sal, and the man's associate for all helping to save his life, and hoping that Gail recovers quickly. Dude must have thought he was being assaulted. Just goes to show you never know how someone's going to react. Sal, you showed great restraint in that situation.

I hope someday soon that guy comes to the realization that Gail and you did that to save his freakin' life.

Jim

[Skidoosh]

Way to be prepared Gail and Sal!
Thanks for sharing your experience.

[apollo]

Sorry to hear about Gail’s injury Sal. I hope she can recover soon.
Also i hope the legal system In Colorado has you’re back.

I heard of a similar case a few years ago in my country and the guy that was choking dragged the people who saved them before the court because in his eyes the act of saving was to unnecessary violente …
Sad thing here is it isn’t really so strange to get lawsuits like that we even seen cases that burglars sued the people they were robbing for medical damages because they tript over something while emptying the peoples house. But I guess you guys in America do not have things like that and you can just shoot them and bury them in the back yard?

[Freediver]

Kudos to Gail and you as well. I’m sorry to hear what happened to Gail, hope she has a speedy recovery.

[Fireman]

What a crazy story. Thanks for sharing. Hope you both recover soon

[WilliamMunny]

Hi,

Just an experience to share. Gail and I were having lunch yesterday. A gentleman n the next table was choking on his lunch. His associate was trying to give him the heimlich maneuver and it wasn't working. The man choking was a very large man, maybe 350 lbs. My wife Gail thought it was time to intervene (Gail was a firefighter and an EMT). His associate and I lifted the man to expose his chest and Gil took 3 shots to clear his throat. Direct punches to his solar plexus. The 3rd shot, which took all of her strength, cleared his throat.

Then, for some reason, he became violent. He punched Gail in the side (cracked a rib) and I stepped in between he and Gail. He swung at me for a while (no damage), I pushed him into a table, Then he continued to swing at me, I kept his attention until he passed out.

The Golden Fire department and the Golden Police department were on scene within a few minutes and took over the situation. It took 6 of them to control him when he woke up. We're proud of their response and proud to have them in our community.

sal

First off I hope Gail is doing well and has an easy recovery. I would also recommend being careful of what details you post, there is the Good Samaritan law that protects people trying to help but other people are always looking for money.

[ladybug93]

wow... kudos to gail! praying for a a quick recovery for her. what a crazy story. you always hope your training takes over in moments where it counts and it sounds like that's what happened here. i'm glad you guys were there to help and that she was able to save him. i hope he figures out the reality of the situation and at least apologizes for his actions.

[JSumm]

Good grief what an experience! Glad it was not worse and you were able to delay it until more people showed up. You both did the right thing, which unfortunately turned south quickly. Glad you and Gale are ok. Hope she heels quickly.

[Jim Malone]

Sal, as a trauma nurse and EMT i have seen this exact same behaviour with people who are hypoxemic. I had similar experiences when people in their hypoxic state of mind "come back" and become agressive due to their will to live. I'm sorry it happend to Gail especially since you saved his life.
Hopefully there will be an opportunity for you guys to contact the choking guy later on to see if his behaviour was indeed due to hypoxia. If not i hope he will be prosecuted to the full extend of the law. Hopefully Gail will not suffer too much from her broken rib ( pretty painfull for a long time). Best wishes to you all.