In a remarkable display of quick thinking and composure, 17-year-old Madison Brydels, a high school student and part-time waitress at Budatan Asian Cuisine in Moss Bluff, Louisiana, saved a customer’s life on October 2, 2025. Surveillance footage from the restaurant captured the harrowing moment when Brydels performed the Heimlich maneuver on a choking patron, dislodging the obstruction and preventing a potential tragedy. The incident, which unfolded during a routine shift, has since gone viral, drawing widespread praise for the teenager’s heroic actions.
Local media outlets, including KPLC-TV, reported on the event, highlighting Brydels’ calm demeanor and the restaurant’s decision to share the video on social media to commend her bravery. As news of the rescue spreads across Southwest Louisiana and beyond, it serves as a powerful reminder of the critical role everyday individuals play in emergency situations.
Budatan Asian Cuisine, a popular spot known for its authentic Asian dishes in the small community of Moss Bluff, has become the focal point of this uplifting story, with patrons and locals rallying around the young employee. The event underscores the importance of basic life-saving skills, especially in service-oriented environments where unexpected crises can arise without warning.
The Incident Unfolds: A Routine Shift Turns Critical
The events of that Wednesday evening at Budatan Asian Cuisine began like any other shift for Brydels, a junior at Sam Houston High School. At around 7 p.m., the restaurant was buzzing with its usual dinner crowd, offering a menu of favorites like stir-fried noodles, sushi rolls, and teriyaki bowls in a cozy, family-friendly atmosphere. Brydels, who has worked at the establishment for over a year to help support her family, was tasked with a simple chore: hanging Halloween decorations to prepare for the upcoming holiday season. She was perched on a ladder, stringing up orange and black garlands near the dining area, when the atmosphere shifted abruptly.
According to eyewitness accounts and the restaurant’s security footage, a male customer in his 50s, seated alone at a corner table, suddenly stood up clutching his throat. He had been enjoying a meal of fried rice and spring rolls when a piece of food lodged in his airway, cutting off his breath. Gasping and waving his arms, he caught Brydels’ attention from across the room. “I heard the choking sound right away,” Brydels later recounted to reporters. “He looked right at me and signaled for help. There was no time to think—I just reacted.” Fellow server Grace Ardoin, who was assisting with the decorations nearby, confirmed the urgency of the moment.
“One second we were laughing about the spider webs, and the next, everything stopped,” Ardoin said. “Madison didn’t hesitate; she dropped everything and ran over.” In a matter of seconds, Brydels positioned herself behind the distressed man, wrapping her arms around his midsection and delivering a series of firm abdominal thrusts—the Heimlich maneuver. The technique, which applies sudden pressure to force air from the lungs and expel the blockage, proved immediately effective. After three thrusts, the obstruction—a chunk of chicken from his fried rice—flew out, and the man collapsed into a chair, coughing and catching his breath.
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Brydels stayed by his side, gently patting his back to ensure he was stable, before alerting the manager and resuming her duties. Paramedics were called as a precaution, but the customer declined transport, assuring staff he felt fine. The entire ordeal lasted less than two minutes, but it highlighted the razor-thin margin between life and death in such scenarios. Restaurant owner Tanya Nguyen emphasized the gravity in a statement to local news: “We’re a small place, but moments like this remind us how precious every second is. Madison’s actions saved a life right here in our dining room.”
Madison Brydels: From Family Lessons to Restaurant Hero
What made Brydels’ response so seamless was her prior, albeit informal, experience with the Heimlich maneuver. The teenager revealed that this was not her first time performing the procedure; about two years earlier, she had saved her own father during a family emergency at home. “He was choking on his own vomit after getting sick,” Brydels explained in interviews. “I didn’t know what to do at first, but he managed to gasp out instructions—’hug from behind, push up hard’—and I just did it.”
Though she admits she was never formally trained through a CPR class or certification program, that real-world application stuck with her. “It was scary, but it worked, and I guess it built my confidence without me realizing it,” she added. At Sam Houston High School, Brydels is described by teachers and peers as a diligent student with a 3.8 GPA, balancing academics, volleyball practice, and her job at Budatan. Moss Bluff, a tight-knit suburb of Lake Charles with a population of around 1,200, fosters a community where such personal stories resonate deeply.
“Madison’s the kind of kid who helps everyone—whether it’s tutoring a classmate or covering a shift,” said her coach, Lisa Thibodeaux. “Her quick thinking isn’t a surprise; it’s who she is.” Following the incident, the restaurant’s social media post featuring the footage garnered over 5,000 views within 24 hours, with comments flooding in from locals and strangers alike. “True hero in our midst!” read one. “Proud of this Moss Bluff girl,” said another. Brydels, however, remains grounded. “I don’t see myself as anything special,” she told KPLC. “It was instinct. If it had been anyone choking, I’d do the same. I’m just glad he’s okay.”
The customer’s identity has not been publicly disclosed out of respect for his privacy, but sources close to the restaurant indicate he returned the next day to personally thank Brydels and the staff. He left a generous tip and a handwritten note expressing his gratitude, which now hangs in the break room as a memento. This personal touch has further bonded the Budatan team, turning a frightening episode into a source of collective pride.
Community Impact and Lessons in Preparedness
The ripple effects of Brydels’ actions extend far beyond the walls of Budatan Asian Cuisine, sparking conversations about emergency preparedness in Southwest Louisiana’s service industry. Calcasieu Parish health officials have noted a surge in inquiries about free CPR and first-aid workshops since the story broke, with the American Red Cross local chapter reporting a 30% uptick in registrations. “Stories like Madison’s save lives twice—once in the moment, and again by inspiring others to learn these skills,” said chapter director Mark Reynolds.
In a region still recovering from Hurricanes Laura and Delta, where community resilience is paramount, such acts of heroism reinforce the value of hands-on training. Budatan has committed to sponsoring a certification session for all employees next month, covering the costs to ensure everyone is equipped for similar situations. Social media amplification has turned Brydels into a regional celebrity, with shares from influencers and news aggregators reaching audiences in Texas and Mississippi. Yet, the focus remains on the practical takeaways: the Heimlich maneuver’s simplicity and effectiveness.
Developed by Dr. Henry Heimlich in 1974, the technique involves standing behind the victim, making a fist with one hand placed above the navel, and thrusting inward and upward with the other hand. Experts stress that while formal training is ideal, Brydels’ success demonstrates that muscle memory from past exposure can be lifesaving. “Choking incidents claim over 5,000 lives annually in the U.S., many preventable with basic intervention,” noted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a related public health advisory. Brydels herself hopes her experience encourages others. “I wish I’d taken a class sooner, but life doesn’t wait for perfect prep,” she said. “Just act—don’t freeze.”
For Budatan Asian Cuisine, the incident has boosted foot traffic, with customers specifically requesting Brydels’ section to offer congratulations and tips. Owner Nguyen plans to install additional emergency signage and defibrillators, viewing the event as a catalyst for enhanced safety protocols. As Moss Bluff continues to celebrate its young heroine, the story of October 2 stands as a testament to ordinary courage in extraordinary circumstances. In a world often divided by headlines of crisis, Madison Brydels’ quiet heroism reminds us that positive change often starts with one decisive act.