Woman saved from choking by restaurant manager on Long Island

COMMACK, Long Island (WABC) -- A quick-thinking restaurant manager may have saved a life on Long Island. He jumped into action when a diner at a Commack restaurant started to slump over the table.

It was a reunion. Several college friends had gathered at Sangria 71 in Commack, and the rendezvous was caught on camera.

It was going as planned until the waiter noticed something wasn't right.

"Everybody was looking at pictures the rest of the girls, then I asked she is okay? Everybody says oh she's fine, oh no she is not fine," said waiter Jose Bonilla.

As the friends of 72-year-old Rosemarie Scinicariello rushed to help her. As did the restaurant manager, Antonio Diaz.

"The lady had completely gone white, she was no longer purple, absolutely no circulation," said Diaz.

Diaz is former military, having served in the United States Army as a medic. It's been years, but he still knew what to do.

"Once you know how to ride the bike you ride the bike for life," he said. "I continue CPR for what seemed to be an infinity."

Antonio had been giving CPR for about 7 minutes, and he wasn't sure the woman was going to make it, until he gave her a breathe, and noticed she gasped for air.

"This lady can not die on me, there's not dying here, nobody can die over here," he said.

At the same time, the woman's daughter Danielle Villar got a call.

"Your mom went non-responsive in the restaurant, CPR had to be performed by the manger of the restaurant," she said.

Her mother was rushed to the hospital, where doctors continue to figure out what happened.

She is stable for now. The 72-year-old was recently hospitalized for problems relating to her heart.

Her friends can be seen in the video, thanking Antonio with a pat on the back.

Rosemarie's daughter also called to express her gratitude. She doesn't think her mother would have survived without him.

"A hero, a angel, I mean if she wasn't there, who knows what would've happened," said Danielle.

"When somebody is in need, put your differences aside, step into the box and help," said Antonio.