McDonald's chicken nugget hero hailed for saving boy's life

'Angel' Gabriel McKenna, Mary Byrne and Johnny Óg reunited after the incident

A County Armagh man has been described as a "guardian angel" after saving the life of a five-year-old boy who was choking on a chicken nugget.

Mary Byrne and her son Johnny Óg were at a McDonald's in Newry, County Down, when Gabriel McKenna appeared "as if out of nowhere".

She has nicknamed the lifesaver the Angel Gabriel because both believe divine intervention was at play.

Ms Byrne said last Thursday had started well and they had decided to get food.

"It was a lovely weather and we decided to sit outside the restaurant instead of using the drive-thru, as we usually would," she told BBC's Evening Extra programme.

"Johnny went to put his wrappers in the bin and when he turned round he had a blank expression on his face.

"He couldn't get a breath. I tried banging his back and tried everything I thought was right," she added.

People jumped out of their cars and staff rushed over to try to help.

'Someone please help him'

Johnny Óg told the programme his "face went purple and blue".

"I had tried to eat the nugget in one go and I was trying to cry but my body didn't let me," he explained.

However, even though everyone else was frantic, Johnny said he was not frightened by the experience.

He said he remembered his mum "pushing my belly and back at the same time and then my chest started to hurt".

Gabriel McKenna said "something came into his mind to go round the front" of the Newry McDonald's, where the young boy was choking

"At that time I had him bent over my knee trying to slap his back - it was a blur and seemed like forever, even though it probably was," said Ms Byrne.

"All I thought was someone please help him," she added.

Then Angel Gabriel came along. "Gabriel lifted me up like a chicken," said Johnny Og.

'Hoisted up in the air by the feet'

Mr McKenna, who is originally from County Louth and now lives in Cullyhanna, County Armagh, said it was "divine intervention" that he was there at that time.

"Something came into my mind to go round to the front of the restaurant and I saw what was going on," he told the programme.

"The child was on his mother's knee - I said, 'give me him' and hoisted him up in the air by the feet, put his belly towards mine and his back where I could get at him and worked at his two shoulder blades to revive him.

"I said prayers to Our Lady and St Theresa and God to help me to save this child and thanks be to God my prayers were answered."

It was the first time he had performed such a manoeuvre but he said he had been inspired by watching boxing matches in Dundalk.

Later that day, Ms Byrne put out an appeal on Facebook to find Mr McKenna and the power of social media helped track the hero down.

Mr McKenna has now been round to the house to see Johnny and his mum in better circumstances.

"He's a great man and humble man but he's definitely going to be in our lives now - we will never forget what he did," Ms Byrne told the programme.

She praised other members of the public and McDonalds staff for supporting her afterwards.

Mr McKenna said Johnny was a "special child".

Johnny told the programme he would be chewing his nuggets thoroughly the next time.