Description

The Heimlich maneuver for choking rescue was first introduced by my father in a June 1974 Chicago Daily News article by syndicated medical reporter Art Snider.

About two months later, a follow-up article by Snider reported two alleged drowning rescue cases in which bystanders "happened upon" drowning victims and "spontaneously" decided to try the new choking rescue technique (one which few people were even aware of) on the drowning victims. The result? Two immediate, miraculous recoveries. (A similar article appeared a week later in the Washington Star-News.)

By an amazing coincidence, these two "spontaneous" miracle rescues are said to have taken place one day apart, on August 14 and 15, 1974, less than 20 miles away from each other. In other words, during an August 1974 weekend, two individuals "happened upon" two separate drowning victims, 20 miles apart, and both "spontaneously" came up with the idea to a brand-new choking rescue method to their two drowning victims.

By another amazing coincidence, one of the rescuers, Dr. Victor Esch of Potomac, Maryland and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, happened to be a longtime intimate friend of my father's, a fact which, despite hyping the case for the next 25 years, my father nor Esch never disclosed to the press over the next 25 years.

Dr. Esch is retired and still lives in Potomac and Rehoboth Beach (a well-known resort for gay and straight Washingtonians).

The other alleged rescuer, Jordan Mencher, now lives in the Denver area and works with a theater company.