Both experienced life-threatening incidents involving choking. Tragically, Michael did not survive, while Jonathan did.

This story explores the reasons behind their different fates—and how you can be better prepared for such an emergency.

Michael's Story

In early 2020, Michael, a retired Army Staff Sergeant, was enjoying grapes on his porch when a sudden misstep turned dangerous. He inhaled while a grape was in his throat, lodging it in his windpipe. He could only draw in a small amount of air—enough to breathe but not enough to speak.

Panicked but determined, Michael ran to his phone and dialed 911. He waited over 17 minutes for paramedics to arrive, an unusually long time even during the height of the pandemic.

Michael’s military service had taught him resilience and quick thinking, but in this instance, his efforts to dislodge the grape on his own were in vain.

By the time help arrived, Michael had collapsed on the porch, his airway completely obstructed. Despite the paramedics’ attempts to revive him, he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Choking is a deceptively swift and silent killer. Without immediate intervention, the lack of oxygen to the brain can lead to irreversible damage within four to six minutes. The critical nature of such emergencies highlights a harsh reality: emergency response times, even under normal circumstances, often cannot match the urgency of a choking incident.

During the height of the pandemic, response times were stretched even further due to overwhelming demand on emergency services, making tragedies like Michael’s more common. Those response times have not recovered.

For Michael’s family and friends, his death was a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of being prepared. His best friend, Jonathan, who had also served in Vietnam, often reflects on what could have been done differently.

Jonathan's Story

Jonathan’s situation was eerily similar, though it occurred in 2021.

Jonathan, a retired Sergeant Major with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, had served alongside Michael in Vietnam, though the two had lost contact for more than seven years.

One evening, while dining alone, Jonathan suddenly choked on a pea that lodged in his airway. For a brief moment, he considered calling 911 but decided against it for two key reasons:

• He lived in a suburb where the response times are longer than 10 minutes.
• He had recently received a device called the Mavengity AntiChoke, designed specifically for such emergencies.