Citizen Airman Saves A Life

A routine trip to Subway for lunch took an unexpected turn when a woman began chocking and struggling to breathe.

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Merari Antunez, 439^th Airlift Wing group administration superintendent, encountered and helped render aid to a woman choking at the Subway inside the Westover ARB Express gas station on Sunday, May 5, 2024.

Antunez immediately went into quick action delivering lifesaving medical care and administering the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the object ensuring the woman could once again breathe on her own.

“It was a reflex, someone needed help and I just helped,” Antunez said. “I didn’t even really think twice about it. It wasn’t until after when the woman thanked me that I realized what had just happened.”

With dozens of hours of hands on trauma training that she received years prior through being a medical technician in the 439^th Airlift Wing Aeromedical Staging Squadron, Antunez was able to apply her first aid skills and quick thinking to immediately jump in and fall back on her training from years ago.

“The only medical experience I had was when I was with ASTS, but I really didn’t do it on the outside. So all the medical training I had was either from tech school, annual tour and our weekend drills. For me to react that way is from our repetitive training that becomes so ingrained in you. So it is so important to fall back on that training.”

Antunez joined the Air Force Reserve in 2010 and shipped out to basic training in 2011. She joined Westover with the ASTS before changing career fields in 2019 and becoming part of the airlift wing commander support staff.

“It was so impactful when she told me ‘thanks for saving my life’ and I had to take a moment and go back and hug her,” Antunez said. “It really hit me afterwards.”

Anuntez’ heroic efforts were acknowledged by the First Sergeants Council, giving her the Diamond Sharp Award. The award recognizes outstanding Airmen and Guardians who go above and beyond in their daily lives.

“Your courageous and swift actions that resulted in the life saving effort for a civilian at Westover ARB epitomizes heroism and excellence,” the award read.