Off-duty state trooper saves choking victim

An off-duty New Jersey state trooper saved a man who was choking in a restaurant.

Trooper Dennis Palaia was at a Buffalo Wild Wings in Rockaway Township on Sunday.  Shortly after sitting down to enjoy watching football with his son, Trooper Palaia noticed that a man at a nearby table was in distress.

Without hesitation, he rushed to the man who was showing signs that he could not breathe. Recognizing that the man was choking, he immediately began the Heimlich Maneuver.

Trooper Palaia quickly wrapped his arms around the man’s waist and provided four abdominal thrusts, which cleared his airway.

The man was able to breathe and his skin tone returned to its natural color. The victim thanked Trooper Palaia for his life-saving efforts.