One couple experienced complete terror and utter joy in the span of just a few minutes as their 10-month-old choked on a pancake and was brought back to life by a stanger’s life-saving device!

John and Jayne Koehler and their three children were enjoying a Sunday morning breakfast at Eggs Up Grill in Irmo, South Carolina. Their precious girls were dressed in bright pink, just like Mom, and son Gabriel was seated safely between his parents. Within moments, though, Gabriel gave his parents and everyone dining at Eggs Up Grill the scare of a lifetime!

Little Gabriel took a piece of pancake and choked on it. Jayne and John explain that they initially weren’t too worried, thinking that the food would go down with a few pats on the back. But, that wasn’t the case. They gave hard back-blows and received help from a nurse and a CPR instructor.

The Heimlich maneuver was administered, but still, nothing worked, and within a few minutes Gabriel had turned blue and lost consciousness. Could anything be more terrifying!

Thankfully, Major Hillard was dining at Eggs Up Grill that morning as well. Major is not a member of law enforcement or part of the medical community. He works in real estate. However, he is a dad who purchased a little tool known as the LifeVac for his own family. When Major realized the seriousness of the situation, he immediately went to his car to grab the Lifevac he’d bought five years earlier.

Major shares that he asked Jayne to place Gabriel onto the table so that he could put the Lifevac in place. He is clearly emotional as he explains that it seemed this might be Gabriel’s last hope.

The Lifevac uses suction to “pull” the obstructing food from the airway. Major pushed in several times on the device, and, after several pulls, the pancake was free. Gabriel’s eyes popped open, and he was soon breathing again!

Guests at the restaurant that day offered whatever help they could. Aside from those directly helping Gabriel, there were people attending to the couple’s girls and others offering comfort.

It’s a blessing that Major used his Lifevac for the first time on that day. It’s a blessing that God used Major!

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14