Minnesota McDonald's Employee Jumped Out of Drive-Thru Window to Help Choking Customer
A fifteen-year-old McDonald's employee saved a customer's life while working at one of the fast food restaurant's locations on Saturday.
Sydney Raley was working in the drive-thru at a McDonald's in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, when she noticed a customer "coughing" and "gagging" on a chicken nugget, the teen told CNN.
"Her daughter was in the passenger seat and she looked so freaked out," Raley said. "I immediately knew, 'Oh, no, she's choking.' "
Raley, who had taken a Red Cross babysitter class when she was 11 years old, instructed the woman's daughter to call 911, then used the Heimlich maneuver to attempt to free the nugget from the woman's throat, per CNN.
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She told local NBC affiliate KARE 11, "I jumped out the window of the drive-through and I got her out of the car and I told her daughter to call 911. I started doing the Heimlich maneuver, but I'm not really strong so it didn't work the first couple times."
Thankfully, a bystander waiting for their food in the parking lot helped Raley save the woman from choking, she told KARE 11.
"It could've ended a lot worse but I am super thankful for that bystander who helped so much," she explained to the outlet. "Because I am decent at first aid, but if it weren't for him and our efforts together, it could've ended so much worse."
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After her life-saving actions, Raley was awarded $100 from the Eden Prairie Police, who had responded to the scene to help the choking woman, according to KARE 11. The police gave Raley money from their "crime fund," which honors people who do "outstanding work" and go "above and beyond," Sergeant Scott Mittelstadt told KARE 11.
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Raley's parents told CNN that they had been on their way to pick up their daughter from work right around the time she was helping the choking customer. Tom Raley, Sydney's father, said he was worried when he spotted an ambulance and a police car on the scene, but when he and Sydney's mom, Stephanie, arrived, their daughter was waiting outside unharmed.
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Sydney's parents told KARE 11 that their daughter was diagnosed with autism as a child, which they say helped her remember the training that saved the woman's life.
Tom told the outlet, "I always tell her she has a gift, because she's autistic. She can remember anything — do anything. It's crazy."
Stephanie added, "She remembered all of the training as a script in her head and was able to jump into action right away, just because it was stored up there and she can recall anything she reads and hears."
Eden Prairie McDonald's owner-operator Paul Ostergaard said in a statement shared with CNN that the restaurant is "incredibly proud of Sydney and her quick, heroic actions over the weekend to help one of our valued customers."
Ostergaard added, "Sydney truly personifies what it is to be a hero and we are incredibly lucky to have her as a highly-valued crew member at our Eden Prairie restaurant location. We are excited to see all of the well-deserved recognition she has received from the community and will continue to celebrate her courageous efforts of literally jumping out of the drive-thru window to provide aid to a customer in need."
