A video showing an unorthodox approach to letting someone off the hook gained widespread attention online this week. The recording, which went viral, shows an employee at a company in Itarana, Espírito Santo, suspending his co-worker upside down after she choked on a piece of cake. Although the intervention was effective for the situation, health professionals emphasize that this technique is not ideal for cases of choking.
The scenes were captured by security cameras in the company’s kitchen in April 2023, but were only recently released by the person rescued. Since then, the audiovisual material has surpassed the 1.8 million views mark, attracting widespread attention.
Three years after the incident, financial assistant Paloma Coan, 31, remains employed at the same internet provider company, working alongside the colleague who provided assistance. Coan expressed her deep gratitude, stating, “I’m so grateful. He saved my life, because if it wasn’t for his quick action, it could have been worse.”
Recalling the moment the video went viral, Paloma detailed what happened. “I was, as usual, having breakfast with my manager, when while eating a piece of cake, I choked. At that moment, despair took over, as I couldn’t make a sound or breathe properly”, she narrated. “My first reaction was to move towards the bathroom sink, in a desperate attempt to cough and expel what was blocking my throat. Seeing that the situation was rapidly worsening and that I was in trouble, my manager acted instinctively, pulling me out and attempting a choking maneuver, which culminated in what is visible in the images that became public.”
