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A freshman Republican state representative is calling a Democratic senator a “hero” for successfully performing the Heimlich maneuver on him after he choked on food at a reception.
State Rep. Mike Murphy, R-Springfield, said state Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Tinley Park, intervened after noticing he was in distress.
Murphy said he stopped by the gathering Wednesday at the President Abraham Lincoln Springfield–a DoubleTree by Hilton, put on by pipe trades unions. He took a bite of a roast beef slider, and “it immediately lodged in my throat.”
“I walked over, grabbed some water, tried to swallow,” Murphy said. But he “couldn’t swallow at all, and was panicking. I turned and looked and everybody had their back to me. Then I turned the other way, and Senator Hastings was walking in the door, and I frantically waved at him. He came over and performed the Heimlich on me twice and got the food to come up. So I got some good help from a good Democrat.” […]
Hastings, a former U.S. Army captain who played football at West Point, served in Iraq and on the borders of Iran and Syria, and is trained in advanced combat lifesaving, said he administered the Heimlich maneuver.
“I lifted him off the ground, and little did I know that he was choking on a piece of steak, and it came out,” Hastings said, saying he also gave Murphy “a good swat on his back” as part of the throat-clearing maneuver.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:18 am
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Quick thinking and a good deed. Thanks for sharing the story.
Comment by Morningstar Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:22 am
the Heimlich is HIGHLY effective — I’ve seen it save someone’s life twice in my life. Everyone should know it. So I thought this would be a good opportunity to share how to do it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CgtIgSyAiU
Comment by Just Observing Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:25 am
Way to go, Captain Hastings. It’s nice to have an Illinois West Point Grad honor the institution for a change.
Comment by PublicServant Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:26 am
Sen. Hastings is a class act.
Comment by So_Ill Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:26 am
Terrific. We may fight bitter political fights, and it’s okay to do so in a democracy, but we should look out for each other. It’s like with Strerigenics. All people deserve an environment that doesn’t make them sick and die.
Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:27 am
Well done.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:27 am
BTW… I think Murphy owes Hastings a bill co-sponsorship
Comment by Just Observing Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:27 am
Knowing these procedures makes a huge difference. I wish they were part of school health curricula. Maybe in some places they are.
And is there a political metaphor in there somewhere?
Comment by My New Handle Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:29 am
It doesn’t seem that there was active consent for any physical touch beyond a handshake. Pass HB3528 now! End these types of lifesaving atrocities!
Comment by LizPhairTax Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:29 am
Bipartisanship at its finest.
Comment by SAP Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:32 am
And part of training for the Heimlich is learning the universal sign for choking. A simple way to signal to others that you are in distress.
Comment by Groundhog Day Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:32 am
All around great guy in the right place at the right time.
Comment by Because I said so.... Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:35 am
Good on you. Know the Heimlich. It’s simple and a life-saver.
As an aside, this — President Abraham Lincoln Springfield - a DoubleTree by Hilton — is a ridiculous business name, on par with Fifth Third Bank.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:35 am
These situations may be very rare, but it is great to know that at times politics becomes totally irrelevant. Well Done.
Comment by illini Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:36 am
Choking is embarrassing..so is talking about it. Have to respect both of these gentlemen.
Comment by wondering Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:38 am
Nice reminder that our legislators are real people. Great story.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:39 am
Really great, Sen. Hastings. These are the good stories that make a Friday.
Knowing the Heimlich is important, you never know when you may need to save someone.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:39 am
What a stroke of luck that the first person to notice him was someone trained in lifesaving techniques. That *is* a feel-good story. Thanks for sharing.
Comment by LakeCo Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:41 am
Great story. true lesson that differences don’t matter when it is a matter of life and death.
Comment by Amalia Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:44 am
Just Observing 9:25 am:
That’s the first thing I thought of when I read this article, and thanks for posting that YouTube as a reminder…one of us may need to do it or have it done someday, and we might remember the simple Heimlich procedure.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 9:49 am
Holy Moly. The right person at the right time.
Comment by NIU Grad Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 10:02 am
The Heimlich is amazing. I have witnessed two incidents, both at the same venue. The successful one was directed (the guy was too big - had to put him down on all fours) by a PE teacher.
Supposedly you can use a chair back to do the Heimlich on yourself.
Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 10:03 am
===I wish they were part of school health curricula===
Maybe Sen. Hastings can sponsor that bill and watch Rep. Murphy vote against yet another unfunded mandate. /s
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 10:07 am
Good story and having saved myself from choking to death, this is one unfunded mandate I’d be glad to live with.
Comment by Glengarry Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 10:31 am
Do they still teach CPR, etc. in 4-H?
They’re handy skills to know when the nearest ambulance is miles and miles and miles away.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 10:40 am
Trained up four Cub Scouts and two of their parents in the Heimlich as part of their First Responder pin this past weekend. Any group can and should offer basics like the Heimlich and use of an AED to their members. Quick, cheap and effective. And great satisfaction when you know you saved someones’ life literally.
Comment by Peters Piece Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 10:40 am
–Do they still teach CPR, etc. in 4-H?–
We were taught CPR and the Heimlich in mandated high school Health class. I remember it was a firefighter who came in.
That was a very long time ago. My kids were taught both in high school, too. I’ve assumed it was a mandate.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 11:05 am
My husband hates politics as much as I love it, but he really did enjoy this story.
Comment by Dome Gnome Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 11:06 am
A great story. Gets me all choked up.
Comment by Ed Higher Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 11:08 am
What do you think would have happened if this were 2 congressmen?
Comment by The Way I See It Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 11:12 am
===What do you think would have happened if this were 2 congressmen?===
The same exact thing.
What, you think one person would let another choke to death “because” whatever?
Yikes, what a sad existence you must have, lacking a sense of humanity and faith in your fellow man… especially when it’s easy to know, no one is going to let anyone just choke to death like that.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 11:15 am
Saw Rep. Murphy at the Springfield Citizens Club’s forum for mayoral candidates this morning. Was one of many to tell him we were happy to see him breathing.
Comment by Behind the Scenes Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 11:16 am
Anyone else see the irony that this gathering was put on by the pipe trades unions?
Comment by ChrisB Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 11:48 am
==Supposedly you can use a chair back to do the Heimlich on yourself.==
You can, trust me. One of those Italian Beef sandwiches Chicago is famous for, during Monday night football, home alone. I remember calmly thinking “So this is what it’s like to die” before remembering the chair trick. Had first responder training at work, never had to use it on anyone else, but it saved my own life.
Comment by Stuntman Bob's Brother Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 12:25 pm
A Dem saving a raunerite… nuff said.
Comment by El Conquistador Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 12:47 pm
==A Dem saving a raunerite… nuff said.==
I’m all choked-up.
Comment by Blocked for a Pun? Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 12:49 pm
===A Dem saving a raunerite… nuff said.===
It’s Friday, maybe you should start the weekend early and look for *your* humanity. It might take longer than the two days.
If you think a “Raunerite” would let someone choke to death and watch in this real life instance…
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 12:51 pm
Great story. Great to see folks helping folks. Also, I second the thank you to @Just Observing for the link. I now know the basics of the Heimlich thanks to your link.
Comment by Chicago_Downstater Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 12:54 pm
My sister used the Heimlich maneuver twice when she was still a teenager. She got to meet Dr. Heimlich and got an autographed poster illustrating the maneuver. We were all very proud of her. She was just a tiny thing and used it successfully on a grown man.
Comment by pawn Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:22 pm
I appreciate this post. As an old man it is embarrassing and you feel it is a testament to your frailty.
Choking is embarrassing..so is talking about it. Have to respect both of these gentlemen.
Comment by thank you Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 3:37 pm
If you ever try to eat his pancakes you’d choke too.
Comment by flea Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 3:47 pm