A bartender in Bethesda, Md. saved a customer who was choking on a piece of meat.
If you've had one, you know, there's nothing quite like a good bartender.
If you need another glass, he's got it. If you need a certain ambiance, he'll make it happen. And if you need the Heimlich, he'll do it.
That's what Darko Stankovic served up a few weeks ago when a customer eating dinner with his wife and friends at the Oakville Grille and Wine Bar in Bethesda began choking on a piece of meat.
By the time Darko got to the customer's table, things were looking dire.
"He was already turning purple, blue," said Darko. "His breath was extremely short. He couldn't stand. He was almost bent down."
While the table panicked, everyone else in the restaurant sat in stunned silence.
Darko stood the choking man up, straightened him out and started with the Heimlich maneuver. It only took a few thrusts before a big piece of food was out.
Darko said he learned how to do the Heimlich from working as a lifeguard in Serbia. This was the first time he ever had to use it.
The customer turned out to be even more thankful just a few days later when he sent Darko a Christmas card.
Inside the card, a nice heartfelt thank you note and a check for $5,000.
On Thursday night, that grateful customer, who doesn't want to be identified, stopped by the restaurant to, once again, say thank you.
He's a regular at the Oakville Grille and Wine Bar now.
