Keztly Angel learned the Heimlich maneuver in a high school Red Cross training course. She is a cashier. She did not expect to use it at work.
When a doctor began choking at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois, Angel stepped forward and performed the abdominal thrusts her training had prepared her for. The obstruction cleared. The doctor was not seriously injured. Angel returned to work.
The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago named her one of its 2026 local heroes for the act — recognizing her alongside other nominees at the Red Cross Heroes Breakfast, an annual event honoring civilians who perform acts of courage and service in their communities…