Jenna Bush Hager Says Husband Saved a Choking Woman’s Life at a Restaurant

Jenna Bush Hager revealed a shocking situation that occurred while she and her husband, Henry Chase Hager, and mother-in-law were out to eat.

On Today she shared that while she was dining at a restaurant, a woman began to choke. According to Jenna, her husband hopped into action without thinking twice.

“He gets up, he runs over, and he gives a woman the Heimlich maneuver,” she told co-anchor Hoda Kotb.

“It felt like it was ten minutes,” Jenna elaborated. “Being on this show, I knew what to do. ‘Someone call 911!'”

Jenna admitted that her husband looked defeated as the choking continued, but thankfully, first responders arrived at the restaurant. “She survived,” the host explained.

Hoda expressed her shock about the situation and asked Jenna for more details.

“The Heimlich, how did he know how to do that or what to do?” Hoda asked about Jenna’s husband.

“Well, he was a Boy Scout,” Jenna laughed.

The hosts continued to discuss Henry’s qualifications, revealing that he was not only a Boy Scout but an Eagle Scout. Jenna said that people who witnessed the choking asked him if he was a doctor, and her husband replied, “No, I’m an Eagle Scout.”

RELATED: Jenna Bush Hager Shares Some of Her Best White House Stories From Her Past: Including How Her Now-Husband Once Snuck Out of the White House

Then, Jenna shared another choking story that happened to her family. She explained that in the 1970s, her father, George W. Bush, was giving a speech at an event where meals were served, and as he was talking, he noticed a woman in the crowd choking.

According to Jenna, Bush “jumped off the podium. Because he’s the only one who has the view of her.”

Jenna claimed her father gave the woman the Heimlich and “saved her life.”

Hoda commended Jenna’s “two most important men” in her life, who both got up and helped choking people out instead of just sitting on the sidelines.

Choking deaths are fairly common. According to Injury Facts, choking is the fourth leading cause of unintentional injury death. 

We encourage you to read up on the best safety measures and preventions to keep you, your family, and even a stranger safe. The National Safety Council has plenty of information for you to prepare yourself for a choking incident.