Chick-fil-A worker saves toddler strangled by seat belt in drive-thru, restaurant says
A Georgia fast-food worker is being credited for saving a choking toddler in a Chick-fil-A drive-thru.
Employee Zack “Cowboy” Kokenzie sprang into action when he heard “frantic cries” coming from a car in the drive-thru lane, the restaurant wrote in a Facebook post. The scary incident unfolded Monday during the lunch rush at the Chick-fil-A on Manchester Expressway in Columbus, about 100 miles south of Atlanta.
“The cries were from the other children in the vehicle,” according to the post. “It appeared that the seat belt had become wrapped around the child’s windpipe. Another customer had left his vehicle and was trying unsuccessfully to assist the (child’s) father in removing the seat belt.”
Kokenzie, a trained Eagle Scout, rushed toward the commotion as the child’s father and another customer struggled with the seat belt.. A fellow team member, Zachary Bullock, also stepped in and passed Kokenzie a pair of scissors through the car window.
With the shears in hand, Kokenzie cut through the seat belt “in seconds” to free the child, the post reads.
Store owner Alex Vann praised Kokenzie and the rest of the Chick-fil-A team for their life saving efforts.
“Zack and our team acted quickly in rescuing a child from a life-threatening situation” Vann said in a statement. “I’m proud of Zack, Justin, Zachary B. and our team for their quick thinking and quick responses. This could’ve been far worse, but Zack and others were in the right place, with the right training and right attitude to potentially save the life of one of our customers. We are glad everyone is alright.”
The team’s heroics also drew plenty of praise from Chick-fil-A customers.
“Awesome job to a fantastic team at Chick-fil a,” one customer commented. “One of the best run restaurants around, hands down!!”
This story was originally published October 15, 2020 at 1:55 PM with the headline "Chick-fil-A worker saves toddler strangled by seat belt in drive-thru, restaurant says."