Veterinarian saves restaurant patron

When medical emergencies occur outside of a hospital, people usually yell, “Is there a doctor here?”
Fortunately for Jerry Silverman, Dr. Steven Fox, a veterinarian and fellow Atlantic Beach resident, was in Anthony’s Restaurant in the village last Saturday night when Silverman began choking on a piece of chicken.
“I don’t remember too much, something got lodged in my throat and I went to drink a glass of water and started choking,” Silverman said. “The last thing I remember is someone had their arms around my waist.”
That was Fox, who was called over by Lynn Aaronson, who was dining with Silverman. “I waved for him to come over and he took over,” said Aaronson, who knows Fox as her late husband, Morty Aaronson, was also a veterinarian.
Fox applied the Heimlich maneuver when he recognized certain signs, including Silverman’s body going limp. “He’s passing out and choking, so I delivered one or two back thrusts like burping a baby, then the Heimlich and with the second thrust he ejected the piece of chicken,” Fox said.

In his 35 years as a veterinarian, it was the first time Fox had applied the Heimlich maneuver to a human after needing to do it to the animals he treats. “Thank God for giving me the continued strength to help all the living; man and animals alike,” he said.
Atlantic Beach Rescue paramedics and the police arrived on the scene and checked on Silverman’s condition. He decided to go home. Fox instructed Silverman to take some heartburn relief medicine to reduce the acidity in his system and restrain from physical activity for 48 hours.
Silverman, whose family have been the owners of Morton’s Army Navy Store in Cedarhurst for three generations, said on Monday that he felt fine and is very grateful for what Fox did. “I’m in debt to him,” Silverman said. “He saved my life and I thanked him. It was a wonderful thing he did and I appreciate it.”