El Monte, California — A quick-thinking restaurant owner in Southern California is being celebrated as a hero after she sprang into action to save a regular customer who was choking outside her eatery.

Surveillance footage from Sunday captured the dramatic moment at Carnitas Y Chicharrones “El Gallo,” where owner Maria Molina responded immediately after staff alerted her that a customer was in distress.

Initially, someone thought the man simply needed water, but Molina realized the severity of the situation as soon as she stepped outside.

“I see it’s not about water. He couldn’t breathe anymore,” Molina told ABC7. “He was choking on food, so I just reacted. It was so scary. It was really scary, so I just knew I had to do something.”

Despite never having taken a formal CPR class, Molina performed the Heimlich maneuver on the customer. After several attempts, the piece of food was successfully dislodged, and the man was able to breathe again.

The grateful customer later thanked Molina for saving his life and gave her permission to share the surveillance video on social media.

Moved by the frightening incident, Molina and her employees have decided to take proactive steps for the future. They now plan to enroll in CPR classes to better prepare for any similar emergencies.

The heartwarming story has resonated widely, highlighting the importance of quick action in life-threatening situations and the value of basic first aid training.