It is a helpless feeling when a piece of food or drink goes down the wrong pipe.  Normally you just cough a lot and that is it.  Other times you can choke to death.

That looked like the fate of Panthers TE Ben Hartsock until Jeremy Shockey came to his rescue.

SportsGrid.com has the details.

Tight end Ben Hartsock had a piece of pork tenderloin become lodged in his throat in the Panthers lunchroom, and a drink of water actually forced the wad further into his windpipe. Trying to make his way to the bathroom, Hartsock was unable to breathe, and he collapsed.

Some new guy came and tried to give him the Heimlich. It didn’t work. Then, Shockey hit him in the back pretty hard and out came the meat.

Must have been scary for Hartsock, but he is going to be ok and now Shockey can always tell him to pick up the check at dinner.