WOODHAVEN, Mich. – Waitress Nicole recalls the life threatening moments at her job Friday night at a Big Boy Restaurant in Woodhaven.
“Yeah, I was scared. I was terrified. I couldn’t breathe,” said Nicole.
Nicole was working her regular shift. Things were busy and she was hungry, so she quickly took a bite of the restaurant’s famous cornbread before helping a customer.
“So I heard the bell ding, so I hopped up, and then the cornbread got stuck in my throat,” said Nicole.
Then she started choking, “I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t anything,” said Nicole.
The video showed Nicole trying to get her co-worker Shirley’s attention. She started to wave and punched her several times. The video showed Nicole putting her hands up in the air, walking around, doing anything to try to breathe.
“Then she gave me the Heimlich maneuver. It wouldn’t come out. There was an officer somewhere in the restaurant and he came up, gave me the Heimlich maneuver about seven times,” said Nicole.
Local 4 learned that officer is a Michigan State Trooper. He was inside the restaurant eating. The video showed him patting Nicole on the back, trying to get the cornbread to come out.
Restaurant owner Habib Baydoun said everything happened so fast, but so slow at the same time.
“I was freaking out. Something like that, it was crazy,” said Baydoun.
Minutes later, paramedics arrived, but the maneuver done by both Shirley and Trooper Mark Adams worked. Nicole could breathe again. She said she’s grateful.
Local 4 asked her if would she eat another piece of cornbread.
“It’s good cornbread. It wasn’t dry," Nicole said. "Yeah, I love the cornbread. I’ll sit down and eat it, like you’re supposed to."
The full video can be seen below.