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Teen reunites with UPS driver who saved him while choking

Posted at 10:26 AM, Sep 07, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-07 10:26:50-04

PLAINFIELD, Ind. -- Cody Kennedy finally got the chance to say thank you to the delivery driver who saved his life.

Last week, Cody, 17, had A close call when he started choking on a piece of candy while on his drive home. He couldn’t breathe and was forced to pull over. Within seconds, a UPS driver was there to rescue him.

“I knew there was definitely something wrong," UPS driver Darren Collins told WTTV.

Collins saw a car pull over and the driver fall out. He stopped his UPS truck and ran to the teenager.

“I saw him with his hands around his throat, and that’s when I realized it was something that needed to be done immediately,” said Collins.

Kennedy was choking on a SweeTart, and Collins knew what to do.

“I decided to get behind him and put my arms behind his sternum and perform the Heimlich maneuver,” said Collins.

A couple of tries is all it took. Cody was breathing again. Moments later, first responders showed up and Collins left. The two didn’t even get a chance to get each other’s names.

“So it was one of those that I took off I was glad I was able to help, shook his hand and kind of disappeared as that mystery UPS man,” said Collins.

Tuesday afternoon, the mystery was solved when the two finally met face to face again.

“I still can’t thank you enough. I don’t know what I would’ve done,” said Kennedy.

Collins understands the gratitude. When he was younger, a stranger saved him, too.

“Our vehicle actually started to catch fire, and I was trapped in the vehicle, and there was a good Samaritan that ended up pulling over and helping my grandmother out of the vehicle and helping me get out of the vehicle in cold weather,” said Collins.

“It’s okay to stop. It’s okay to check on somebody and make sure they’re OK and to be that good Samaritan. We all need it. You never know when you may need it yourself, so why not stop and help somebody else out?” Collins asked.

Kennedy is currently training to become a firefighter with the Madison Township Fire Department.