NORTH BAY VILLAGE, Fla. – The life-saving rescue of a young boy in Miami-Dade County on Monday was caught on camera.
It was a small piece of candy that suddenly became lodged in the throat of a 3-year-old boy.
His father panicked, but two North Bay Village employees quickly stepped in and saved the child’s life.
In the video, the father and son can be seen waiting in line at the post office inside the North Bay Village City Hall building.
What was a normal day of running errands quickly took a scary turn when the boy started choking on the piece of candy.
“I heard a lady yell out, ‘someone was choking, a kid was choking,’” said Rodolfo Santana, North Bay Village’s customer service manager.
In seconds, Santana and another employee ran over to help as the boy was gasping for air.
“It seemed to me like the father was having a hard time and kind of panicking a little bit, so I stepped in to help and grabbed the boy,” said Santana.
The entire ordeal lasted 1 minute and 20 seconds, but Santana said it felt much longer.
“In my mind, it took forever,” Santana said.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than 12,000 children are taken to emergency rooms for choking injuries annually.
At least one child dies from choking on food every five days in the U.S.
Local 10 News’ Bridgette Matter spoke to the young boy’s father by phone. He couldn’t meet for an interview, but said he was so thankful those two stepped in to help.
Santana had recently taken a class on the Heimlich because he is a new father.
For more information on where to take similar life-saving classes, click here.