Downers Grove

Suburban teen saves man from choking while working at restaurant

NBC Universal, Inc.

A suburban teen is being praised for his quick action that saved a man's life while he was working at a Downers Grove restaurant.

For 15-year-old Jackson Teran, this past Sunday night began as a typical night of work as a busboy at Carnivore and the Queen, a restaurant in Downers Grove.

In what was just his fourth day on the job, Teran's instincts kicked in after noticing that a man in the restaurant was choking.

“I noticed a man, he was choking and I noticed a noise, so I looked over there just to make sure everything was alright," Teran told NBC Chicago.

As panic quickly rose from those around him, Teran quickly learned that the man was not OK.

“I rushed over there and saw his face was getting red and I asked if he was OK and he started shaking his head," Teran said.

Teran said he began performing the Heimlich maneuver and was eventually able to stop the man's choking.

Teran credited being taught the maneuver in 9th grade while also acknowledging watching "a lot of 911 shows on Hulu."

"I don't know how to explain it, I just reacted," Teran said.

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