Handsome Houston police officer becomes internet sensation after saving choking woman using Heimlich maneuver
A Texas cop has become an internet sensation after saving a woman from choking by using the Heimlich maneuver.
Cecilia Torres was celebrating early retirement at a Mexican Sugar restaurant in Houston on Thursday when she swallowed too much Carne Asada.
Luckily for Torres, Houston Police Lieutenant Jamaal Martin was also grabbing a quick bite at the restaurant, and he rushed to her rescue.
'While everyone around her began to panic, Lt. Martin moved quickly and performed the Heimlich maneuver, successfully clearing her airway,' his department said in a Facebook post which was liked by 5,700 people and shared more than 270 times.
Houston Police also shared a photograph of Martin in his uniform beside a recovered Torres holding a flower bouquet in the same post.
Social media users inundated the comments section with praise for the Houston cop's heroics - as well as for his good looks.
'Umm wowza! I vote for him to be the centerfold in a cop calendar!' one woman wrote beside a flame emoji. 'Good job officer.'
Another woman joked that Torres 'saw him coming and began to choke' on purpose to secure an interaction with the handsome man in uniform.
'Kidding, lol,' the woman added. 'But seriously.. does the empty ring finger imply what the ladies hope it does?'
Houston Police Department shared the story via a Facebook post. People inundated the comments section with praise for the lieutenant's heroics - as well as for his good looks
'Dang. He can choke me anytime,' one woman commented. 'Houston's finest is really fine,' another added, while one user said: 'Give that man a medal and my number!'
'He can save me anytime,' another woman said beside a flame and blowing-kiss emoji. 'Good job hero.'
The choking woman's daughter even chimed in, saying: 'Thank you so much for saving my mom. We are forever grateful — you are truly a godsend.'
Torres described the restaurant ordeal to Fox News, revealing that she wasn't even conscious by the time Martin came to her rescue.
'So I ordered the carne asada skillet, and we were having a good time eating,' she said. 'That's when I felt it went to the wrong side, so I figured I'd just drink some water, it'll disappear. Big mistake.'
Torres said she started panicking and several people tried to help, but the food stayed stuck in her throat.
'I remember I was starting to turn to purple and I remember everybody screaming, call 911. To be honest, I didn't feel I was going to make it.
'Then my daughter came and tried to help me. That's all I remember.'
She later found out that Martin came to her rescue just in time.
'I think had I been earlier, or five minutes later, I think I would not have been able to respond like I did or been there at all,' the lieutenant told Fox News.
'I just pushed her daughter out the way. The way they described it made it seemed like I pushed her hard, but I didn't mean to.
'But I kind of just moved her out the way and began to perform the Heimlich maneuver.
'As a man of faith, I always pray that I ask God to order my steps to place me in the right places at the right time.'
'He was there at the right time. I owe it to God,' Torres added. 'First of all, I don't believe in fate, but I think it was all God.
'At the end of the day, when I got home, and I was able to process what was happening. I was able to tell God I see how he is working through my life and just continue to ask him to use me and allow me to be a vessel.'
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