Jamal Tanner, 3-Year-Old Denver Boy, Survives Choking On Rubber Ball (VIDEO)

Rubber Ball Nearly Ends A Denver 3-Year-Old's Life

It's a moment that all parents fear and hope they never have to face: their child choking. For Denver mother Monte Armstrong, this nightmare came to life when her 3-year-old boy, Jamal Tanner, swallowed a toy ball and started to choke.

7News reports that Monte was cooking breakfast on the morning of Oct. 22 while Jamal was playing with two cousins in another room when suddenly Jamal came down the hallway and pointed to his throat. Monte looked in his mouth and saw a little rubber ball.

After attempting the Heimlich maneuver with no success, Monte's boyfriend called 911. On the emotional 911 call, Monte's boyfriend describes the frightening scene as he watches Jamal begin to pass out, his voice cracking he said to the 911 dispatcher, "He's not breathing at all." Jamal's mother later said that she was so afraid as she watched her little boy's face "turn purple."

Reba Rose, the 911 dispatcher, immediately began coaching Jamal's family to help save his life to no avail -- the ball simply would not budge. But within 4 minutes of the 911 call, paramedics arrived and Denver firefighter Lacy Harmony popped the ball out of his mouth with her finger, according to Fox31.

However, young Jamal was now unconscious and in full cardiac arrest -- no pulse, no breathing, according to the paramedics on the scene. They rushed the boy to the hospital and the outcome looked to be grim.

Incredibly, Jamal did survive -- and now two weeks later, he's as healthy as ever. It's still unclear exactly how long the boy's heart was stopped and 9News reports that for days none of the medical staff really knew if Jamal was going to live and in what kind of condition he would be in, if he did. But, emergency medicine physician Dr. Katrina Iverson had encouraging words for this miraculous recovery saying, "Looking at him now, he'll lead a very happy life."

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