At a Glance
- Tom Blyth nearly choked to death on chicken jambalaya during a New Orleans date
- He hid in the bathroom out of embarrassment, leaving him unable to breathe for 90 seconds
- A waiter performed the Heimlich maneuver and “literally saved my life”
- Why it matters: The incident highlights how embarrassment can override life-saving instincts
Tom Blyth’s attempt to impress a new girlfriend in New Orleans nearly turned fatal when a bite of chicken jambalaya lodged in his throat. The 30-year-old actor, currently starring in People We Meet on Vacation, revealed the harrowing experience during a January 13 episode of The View.
The Date That Turned Perilous
Blyth was filming in New Orleans when his “relatively new girlfriend at the time” came to visit. Wanting to impress her, he chose a local restaurant for dinner. Mid-meal, he began to choke.
“Genuinely, seriously choked,” he told the hosts. “And I did what you’re not supposed to do, and I took myself off to the bathroom.”
His embarrassment over the fledgling relationship overrode basic safety instincts. Inside the restroom, he remained unable to breathe for roughly a minute and a half.
A Waiter’s Life-Saving Intervention
When Blyth stumbled back to the table, panic set in for both him and his date. “I looked at her, and I looked at the waiter, and no one knew what to do,” he recalled.
He locked eyes with the waiter and motioned that he needed the Heimlich maneuver. The staff member reacted quickly, wrapping his arms around Blyth and dislodging the stuck food.
“He literally saved my life,” Blyth said, adding that he left a “big tip” in gratitude.
Post-Rescue Embarrassment
The ordeal wasn’t over. A group of women approached him shortly after the incident, having recognized him from a previous project. They asked for a photo, unaware of what had just transpired.
“I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?'” he said. “You just watched me almost die in the most embarrassing circumstances.”
To avoid further attention, he pretended they had mistaken him for someone else.
The Project Behind the Visit
Blyth’s trip to New Orleans was tied to filming People We Meet on Vacation, an adaptation of Emily Henry’s bestselling novel. The movie, now streaming on Netflix, features Blyth as Alex, a character who also faces travel mishaps-something the hosts were quick to point out during the interview.
Relationship Update
The actor is currently dating Daniela Norman, an actress known for Cats (2019) and the Netflix series Tiny Pretty Things. Neither Norman nor the girlfriend present during the choking incident have publicly commented on the story.
Key Takeaways
- Embarrassment can override life-saving instincts, as seen when Blyth hid instead of signaling for immediate help
- Choking deaths often occur in public places when victims isolate themselves out of shame
- The Heimlich maneuver can work even after extended choking episodes, reinforcing the importance of widespread first-aid training
