Man Hailed as Hero after Rushing to Help Woman Choking on Roast Beef

Brookline police are crediting a quick-thinking Walpole man with saving the life of an elderly woman who nearly choked to death while eating at the Busy Bee diner earlier this month.

Police say the man, who later identified himself as Michael Lofti, was eating lunch with friends in a front booth on June 18 when a woman on the other side of the restaurant started choking on a bite of roast beef. Employees immediately dialed 911, but Lofti had already crossed the restaurant and started performing abdominal thrusts by the time the first officer arrived.

"As I was running in, I see him behind her doing the Heimlich maneuver," said Sergeant Robert Disario, who happened to be around the corner when the call came in. "I started to get my medical supplies out and I said, 'Do you want to take over?' and he said, 'No, I got this."

As Disario watched, Lofti continued the thrusts until a large wad of meat burst out of the women's throat and landed on the floor.  Paremedics who had just arrived on the scene took over and Lofti walked back to his booth to finish his lunch.

"Everyone was high-fiving him," Disario said. "The waitresses were coming over and giving him hugs."

Disario, who has called Lofti a hero for his actions, said the woman was already turning blue from lack of oxygen when he arrived on the scene, and that the few seconds it would have taken for the men to switch positions would have been critical.

"He was determined. He took it personally, like he was going to do it," Disario said. "I think he realized that that any other delay would have cost her. He knew what he was doing."

Lofti does not have a listed number and could not be reached.