MAYWOOD, Ill. — A hospital cafeteria cashier saved the life of an emergency room physician at Loyola University Medical Center in west suburban Maywood.

Dr. Joan Dimopoulos was on her lunch break during her shift at the hospital, and began to choke on her chicken sandwich.

At that moment, cafeteria cashier Keztly Angel sprang into action to give Dr. Dimopoulous the Heimlich maneuver.

“I really wanted to say thank you to Keztly. I had a very scary event in our cafeteria. I couldn’t breathe, and she recognized that I gave the universal choking sign. She had the courage to help me," Dr. Dimopoulos said.

The women were reunited at a special ceremony on Monday where Dr. Dimopoulos presented Angel with flowers and expressed her gratitude.

"I’m just so grateful that you were there, and that

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