Quick Summary: NYPD Detective First Grade Michael Greaney rescued an 8-month-old who was choking on the Bronx River Parkway by removing her from a car seat and patting her back until she coughed. A passing nurse confirmed the infant was breathing, and Greaney advised the father to learn the Heimlich maneuver. The rescue was captured on video and has gone viral, and the Detectives’ Endowment Association praised Greaney’s calm, lifesaving action.
NYPD Detective Pulls Choking Infant From Car on Bronx Parkway — “She’s Gonna Be Here for Christmas”
GettyStock image of a police officer
NYPD Detective First Grade Michael Greaney saved an 8-month-old infant who was choking on the Bronx River Parkway during his morning commute, footage of the rescue shows.
Greaney, 40, was driving in an unmarked vehicle to the office of Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny at about 8:45 a.m. when he noticed a black BMW speeding. He followed the car, turned on his lights and pulled alongside to investigate, according to media reports.
The vehicle’s driver shouted that his baby was choking. Video that has since circulated widely on TikTok shows Greaney reach into the car, lift the 8-month-old—wearing a pink onesie—out of her car seat and repeatedly pat her back while holding her at the side of the road until she coughed and began to cry.
A nurse who happened to be nearby stopped to check the infant and confirmed she was breathing and appeared unharmed. Greaney later said he didn’t see any object dislodge but that hearing the baby cough and cry told him she was safe: “If you’re talking or crying, you’re not choking,” he told the New York Post.
Greaney, a father of two toddlers who joined the NYPD in 2008, described the scene as full of “emotion, panic, shock” and said he was glad to have relieved the father’s fear. “I’m happy that she’s gonna be here for Christmas,” he said.
After the child was stable, Greaney returned her to her car seat and left the scene. He later advised the father to learn the Heimlich maneuver and watch instructional videos so he could respond if it ever happens again. Footage of the rescue has since gone viral on social media.
“Detective Greaney’s split-second decision and calm under pressure truly embodies The Greatest Detectives in the World,” said Detectives’ Endowment Association President Scott Munro. “His quick action didn’t just save a life — it reminded all of us what heroism looks like on the streets of this city.”
People magazine has reached out to the NYPD and the TikTok user who posted the clip for comment. Medical experts recommend that parents and caregivers learn basic infant first aid, including how to respond to choking, and keep emergency numbers handy.
