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60 Seconds Alone: How a Retired Nurse Saved Her Own Life — When Medical Knowledge Wasn't Enough, This Device Was

If you've ever worried about what would happen if you or someone you love started choking while alone, my story might change how you think about emergency preparedness. After 40 years of saving others as a nurse, I never imagined the day would come when I would need to save myself—and my medical training couldn't help me.

5,273 Ratings

By Sarah Collins

May 1st, 2025

When a Lifetime of Medical Training Wasn't Enough

Choking is one of the most terrifying emergencies that can happen when you're alone. Every year in Australia, thousands of people lose their lives to choking — many of them in the privacy of their own homes, with no one around to help.

 

I never thought it would happen to me. As a 68-year-old retired nurse with four decades of emergency room experience in Brisbane, I've performed the Heimlich manoeuvre more times than I can count. I've saved countless lives and taught hundreds of healthcare professionals how to respond to choking emergencies. But three months ago, all that knowledge and experience became worthless in an instant — when I was the one choking, alone in my kitchen.

 

What I discovered that day forced me to confront a humbling truth: even the most experienced medical professional becomes helpless when choking alone. And I'm sharing my story because what saved my life could save yours or someone you love — especially if you live alone or spend significant time by yourself.

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"40 Years of Experience, Powerless in 4 Seconds"

That Wednesday started like any other. I was preparing a light lunch—a chicken sandwich with a bit of crusty bread—and catching up on medical journals at my kitchen table. After thousands of meals eaten alone since my husband passed, I never gave it a second thought.

 

Then, in an instant, everything changed. A piece of crusty bread lodged firmly in my throat, completely blocking my airway. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't make a sound. Not even a whisper to call for help.

 

The panic was immediate—and shocking for someone who had handled medical emergencies her entire career. I stood up, knocking my chair backward, instinctively clutching my throat. Living alone meant there was no one to notice my distress, no one to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre I had taught to so many.

 

In those terrifying moments, the cruel irony hit me: I knew exactly what needed to be done, but couldn't do it for myself. All my medical training was useless. The knowledge that oxygen deprivation would cause brain damage in just 4 minutes wasn't academic anymore—it was a countdown timer on my own life.

Why Medical Training Can't Save You When You're Alone

Most people assume that medical professionals like myself would know what to do in any emergency. What they don't understand is that conventional choking remedies simply don't work when you're alone.

 

The Heimlich manoeuvre requires another person to stand behind you and perform upward abdominal thrusts. Back blows need someone to deliver them with sufficient force between your shoulder blades. These techniques are effective when properly administered by another person—but physically impossible to perform correctly on yourself.

 

Some first aid courses suggest self-administered techniques like throwing yourself over a chair back. As a medical professional, I can tell you the truth: these improvised methods rarely generate enough force to dislodge an obstruction, especially when panic and oxygen deprivation are quickly affecting coordination and strength.

 

For the millions of Australians who live alone, this represents a terrifying reality. You can have all the knowledge in the world, as I did, and still be completely defenseless against this common emergency.

The 60 Seconds That Saved My Life

Just one month before my emergency, during a medical retirement gathering, a colleague had given me a device I'd never seen in my 40 years of nursing. "For when you're at home alone," she'd said. "It's new, but it's already saving lives."

 

The device was called ChokeHero. I'd placed it in my kitchen drawer, more out of politeness than belief that I—of all people—would ever need it.

 

As my vision began to blur from lack of oxygen, I remembered the device and managed to reach my drawer. With fingers already tingling from oxygen deprivation, I fumbled with the packaging and followed the instructions I'd only glanced at before: Place, Press, Pull.

 

I placed the mask over my mouth, pressed to create a seal, and pulled to create suction. In an instant, the piece of bread that was killing me dislodged and I could breathe again. The entire emergency, from obstruction to resolution, lasted approximately 60 seconds—though it felt like an eternity.

 

As I sat on my kitchen floor, catching my breath, the reality hit me hard: Had I not received that device, all my medical knowledge would have meant nothing. I would have become another statistic.
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How ChokeHero Works When Nothing Else Can

What makes ChokeHero different from traditional choking remedies is its ingenious use of vacuum technology rather than relying on lung pressure. When someone is choking, the Heimlich manoeuvre attempts to use the air in their lungs to force the obstruction out—but if they can't breathe, there's little air left to generate that pressure.

 

ChokeHero approaches the problem from the opposite direction. The device creates a tight seal around the mouth and generates powerful suction when pulled, effectively drawing the obstruction upward and out of the airway. Its patented one-way valve technology ensures that air can only move in a single direction—out, never in—meaning there's no risk of pushing the obstruction deeper into the throat.

 

Most importantly for people living alone, it can be successfully used by the person who is choking. No assistance required, no strength needed, no complex technique to master—just three simple steps that anyone can perform, even in the panic of a choking emergency.

 

After 40 years in healthcare, I thought I'd seen every medical innovation. But this device addresses a gap in emergency response that has existed throughout my entire career—the ability for someone to save themselves when choking alone.

From Skeptic to Advocate

As a medical professional, I'm naturally skeptical of new devices claiming to be life-saving. We're trained to demand evidence, clinical trials, and peer-reviewed research. But sometimes personal experience is the most powerful evidence of all.

 

After my emergency, I began researching ChokeHero extensively and contacting colleagues in emergency medicine. I discovered I wasn't alone in my experience. Dr. James Harrison, Director of Emergency Medicine at Royal Brisbane Hospital, explained: "Traditional methods remain our standard protocol when others are present, but they're completely inadequate for solo choking incidents. ChokeHero addresses this critical gap in emergency response."

 

I began sharing my story with former colleagues and nursing friends. Many were as skeptical as I had been—until I told them about my experience. Now, several hospital emergency departments are actively demonstrating ChokeHero during discharge instructions for elderly patients who live alone.

 

What continues to surprise me is how many fellow medical professionals have purchased ChokeHero for their own homes after hearing my story. These are people who, like me, have spent decades responding to emergencies—yet recognize their vulnerability when alone.

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The Medical Community's Changing Perspective

As both a choking survivor and a healthcare professional, I bring a unique perspective to this issue. The medical community has traditionally had limited options for those at risk of choking while alone.

 

The standard advice—"don't eat alone" or "cut food into tiny pieces"—is unrealistic for the millions of Australians who live independently. As our population ages and more people live alone than ever before, this gap in emergency response has become increasingly concerning to healthcare providers.

 

Dr. Elizabeth Richards, my former colleague and current Emergency Physician at Royal Brisbane Hospital, explains: "The breakthrough with ChokeHero is that it doesn't require lung pressure, physical strength, or assistance from another person. This makes it uniquely effective in situations where traditional methods are impossible."

 

For elderly patients living independently, patients with swallowing difficulties, and anyone who spends significant time alone, ChokeHero represents more than just a safety device—it represents independence with peace of mind.

From One Medical Professional to Another

After spending my career helping others in emergencies, I never imagined I would be completely helpless in my own kitchen. That experience has fundamentally changed how I view emergency preparedness.

 

I've now purchased additional ChokeHero units for my bedroom, car, and handbag. I've sent units to my adult children, siblings, and friends who live alone. As someone who has both studied emergency medicine and experienced a life-threatening choking emergency firsthand, I can say with absolute certainty: this device works when nothing else can.

 

ChokeHero is remarkably simple: a specialized mask creates an airtight seal around the mouth, and the one-way valve mechanism generates powerful suction when pulled. Each unit comes with two differently sized masks for adults and children, making it appropriate for the entire family. Its compact size means it can be kept anywhere—kitchen drawers, bedside tables, handbags, or glove compartments.

 

For someone like me, it means continuing to live independently without fear. For you or your loved ones, it could mean the difference between a frightening story and a tragic outcome.

Special Offer for Those Who Live Independently

For a limited time, ChokeHero is available at a special introductory rate, making this life-saving technology accessible to more Australian families. The Family Safety Package includes three complete units, allowing you to keep one at home, one in your vehicle, and one with elderly parents or relatives who live independently.

 

Each ChokeHero comes with a comprehensive 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee. If you're not completely satisfied for any reason, you can return it for a full refund, no questions asked.

A Nurse's Final Advice

The most important lesson from my experience is one I've told countless patients over the years: preparation matters. By the time a choking emergency happens, it's already too late to discover you don't have the right tools. The four minutes before brain damage begins pass with terrifying speed—far too quickly for help to arrive.

 

As both a healthcare professional and someone who narrowly survived a choking emergency thanks to having ChokeHero within reach, I can't stress enough how important this simple preparation can be. What seems like a small decision today could literally be life-saving tomorrow.

 

Don't wait until you're in the situation I was in. Order ChokeHero today and give yourself and your loved ones the protection and peace of mind you deserve. Because when it comes to choking alone, all the medical knowledge in the world isn't enough—you need the right tool within reach.

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Date Update Due to the overwhelming popularity of ChokeHero since its launch, the team has decided to extend their first-time buyer 50% off discount. They only ask that you tell your family & friends about your positive experience with ChokeHero.