CORNWALL, Ontario – A Cornwall man is being credited with saving the life of an elderly woman who was choking on food at a city restaurant.
Richard Sabourin, an experienced first-aider, leapt into action at Au Vieux Duluth – along with staff at the busy eatery – on Friday night when patrons began screaming that a woman appeared to be choking.
It took four or five thrusts from Sabourin via the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the food – a piece of meat the size of a thumb was found later on the floor – from the woman’s windpipe.
“I had just come back into the restaurant from my car. I had gone to get a piece of paper to show my friend,” said Sabourin, who was attending a birthday party. “My girlfriend hit me and said ‘Richard go help!'”
Family members who were with the woman approached staff at the restaurant when it became clear she was in distress.
“A woman came up to me and said her mother might be choking,” said server Carrie MacDonald.
MacDonald rubbed the woman’s back and was asking her questions, to which the woman was responding.
Some food had already come out of the woman’s mouth, but when she took a sip of water to help, things quickly deteriorated.
“There may have been something else in there, and it might have gone down,” said MacDonald.
It sure looks that way, because the woman nearly passed out and was unable to breathe. Au Vieux Duluth cook Jason Jodoin came from the kitchen and tried several times to dislodge the food via the Heimlich maneuver.
Then it was time for Sabourin to step in.
“People told me afterwards that she was starting to turn blue,” he said.
After the food popped out Sabourin laid the woman on the ground while paramedics were dispatched.
“Then she started to get her colour back, and she was breathing again,” said Sabourin, who added the woman was close to unconsciousness at one point. “She was pretty close to going out.”
Sabourin and the staff at the restaurant were hailed as heroes by Au Vieux Duluth owner Alexandre Paradis.
“I am very proud of the work my team and my friend Richard did to save this lady,” he said.
What is unclear is the status of the woman, or even her identity. Understandably neither Sabourin nor Paradis asked her for her name during the chaos of the moment.
Myles Cassidy, Cornwall EMS chief, said it is the policy of his agency not to release the names of individuals, but he did confirm paramedics transported a patient to hospital.
Paradis said the family of the woman has emailed the corporate arm of Au Vieux Duluth to express their gratitude.
Family members of the woman have indicated to Seaway News she wishes to remain anonymous.
