Motherwell man Martin Moroney, 56, was in the staff canteen at Asda Newmains when a piece of his bacon roll went down the wrong way. “It went down the wrong way and I was struggling to breathe,” recalls Martin, whose wife Alexandra works as a grocery colleague in the store.
“I didn’t want to make a scene while other people were having their break, so I headed for the toilets.” But when he got there, Martin still couldn’t dislodge the blockage. “My face was going red and tears were streaming down my face,” he said. “I was starting to panic.”
A Colleague’s Quick Response
Martin’s colleague Jordan Nicholson, 21, overheard his sounds of distress. Jordan said: “I heard someone making a sound like they were going to be sick, but then I realised it was Martin. He was choking and pointing at his neck. To start with, I was patting him hard on the back – but that wasn’t working.”
Jordan, who has worked at Asda for four years, is trained in first aid after years as a basketball coach. “When I realised how serious it was, I did the Heimlich manoeuvre,” says Jordan. “It’s something I’ve trained in but have never had to use before in real life. Thankfully, it worked. It was such a relief. My first live drill was a success!”
Gratitude All Round
In all, says Jordan, the drama lasted a matter of moments – moments, adds Martin, he believes saved his life. “There was so much going on in those minutes I didn’t have time to think,” he said. “On reflection, walking away from everyone in the canteen wasn’t the wisest thing to do, but I just wanted to go away and cough it up. Thankfully Jordan was in the right place at the right time, and had the courage to do exactly the right thing in what must have been a very stressful situation for him too. These things happen so quickly, his response was spot on - I think he saved my life. My wife and I are incredibly grateful.”
Asda Newmains General Store Manager David Welsh added: “A huge thank you and well done to Jordan for stepping in so courageously to help a colleague in danger. And to Martin, we’re all so relieved that things worked out well. You’re both fantastic members of the team, and we’re proud to call you colleagues.”
