WATCH: Gov Chris Sununu saves choking competitor during lobster roll eating contest
HAMPTON BEACH, NEW HAMPSHIRE: New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu unexpectedly stepped into the spotlight during a lobster roll-eating contest, saving a choking competitor's life before he went on to finish his meal.
The act of quick thinking left the crowd astonished as Sununu leaped into action during the Hampton Beach Lobster Roll Eating Competition, securing both a dramatic rescue and a viral moment.
New Hampshire’s governor came to the aid of a contestant choking on a lobster roll at a seafood festival eating contest. pic.twitter.com/a0aayaNFN4
— The Associated Press (@AP) September 10, 2024
Chris Sununu comes to rescue of fellow competitor during lobster roll-eating contest
The high-energy Hampton Beach Lobster Roll Eating Competition turned into a life-threatening situation for contestant Christian Moreno when he began to choke on a lobster roll.
While others on stage seemed unaware of the danger, the New Hampshire governor sprang into action.
Video footage of the event shows Moreno frantically signaling that something was wrong as his airway became obstructed. In a moment that captured the crowd’s attention, Sununu appeared backstage and quickly took control of the situation.
Sununu, without hesitation, began to perform the Heimlich maneuver, wrapping his arms around Moreno and lifting him to apply several abdominal thrusts.
His swift actions saved Moreno’s life as the food dislodged from his throat. Speaking to local news outlet WMUR, Sununu shared his experience of the tense moment.
"I started saying, 'He’s choking, he’s choking,' and I could tell people weren’t responding. So I just moved forward and immediately started to kind of give him the Heimlich," Sununu recounted.
Moreno, who appeared unfazed after the dramatic incident, didn’t let the close call slow him down.
Once the lobster roll piece was cleared from his airway, he returned to the competition with surprising determination. As the crowd watched in awe, Moreno went on to consume seven more lobster rolls.
"He went right back to the contest, which I couldn’t believe. He ate another seven lobster rolls after that," Sununu shared, still amazed by Moreno’s resilience.
Christian Moreno was informed after event about who saved his life
Although Moreno was deeply focused on the competition at the time, he later admitted he had no idea that the man who saved his life was the governor of New Hampshire.
When interviewed after the event, Moreno reflected on how his focus on the contest initially prevented him from realizing the gravity of the situation — and the identity of his rescuer.
"Lo and behold, the governor was the first one to notice what was actually happening," Moreno told WMUR, recounting the chaotic moments when he first started choking. Despite the panic, Moreno managed to remain calm enough to encourage himself through the ordeal.
"[I] was just kind of like, 'All right, like, don’t freak out. You’re gonna, like, you’re gonna get this out, and you’re gonna keep going,'" he said.
It wasn’t until after the event that Moreno’s lobster roll counter informed him of who had come to his rescue.
"My counter came up to me and, like, made a joke. And was like, 'Oh, like, I bet nobody else can say that they’ve gotten the Heimlich from the governor before.' And I looked at him, was just like, that was, that was the governor?" Moreno recalled.
In the end, Moreno didn’t take home the grand prize, but his ability to continue competing despite the near-death experience impressed everyone. First place went to Chris Thurston of Somersworth, who managed to eat a total of 12 lobster rolls.
