A mother's routine shopping trip turned into a life-or-death drama when her first aid skills were put to the ultimate test in a Tesco supermarket.
Katie O'Gorman, 28, was shopping with her own children when she spotted a two-year-old girl in serious distress. At first, she assumed the child was simply coughing, but her trained eye quickly recognised the terrifying signs of a full choking incident.
"I thought the little girl was just coughing at first," Katie recounted. "But then I noticed she was becoming distressed, and her mum was panicking, trying to get her to drink water. I knew immediately she was choking and that water would make it worse."
Seconds Count in Choking Emergency
Without hesitation, Katie sprang into action. Having completed a first aid course just months earlier, she approached the terrified mother and offered help. What happened next was a textbook demonstration of emergency response.
"I asked the mum if I could help and then took the little girl and started back blows," Katie explained. After several firm strikes between the shoulder blades, the obstruction—a piece of food—dislodged from the child's airway.
The Aftermath: Relief and Awareness
The immediate danger passed, the little girl began crying, which Katie recognised as the best possible sound. "It was such a relief to hear her cry," she said. "I knew then she could breathe properly."
The emotional impact of the incident has stayed with Katie, who has since become a passionate advocate for first aid training. "It only took 30 seconds, but it felt like a lifetime," she described. "Every parent should know these skills—you never know when you might need them."
This dramatic incident highlights the critical importance of basic first aid knowledge. According to NHS guidelines, back blows are the recommended first response for choking children who cannot cough, breathe, or make noise.
The supermarket chain Tesco has been approached for comment regarding the incident and their staff's first aid training protocols.
