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Greaney, a 17-year veteran assigned to the office of Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny, immediately activated his unmarked car’s lights and pulled the vehicle over.
What should have been a routine stop quickly turned into a life-or-death emergency.
The driver rolled down the window and shouted four words no parent ever wants to hear: “My baby’s choking.”¹
Without hesitation, Greaney sprang into action.
He ran around to the back seat and opened the door to find an 8-month-old girl in a pink onesie struggling for air. The 40-year-old detective scooped up the infant and began delivering back blows right on one of New York’s busiest highways.
A passing motorist captured the dramatic rescue on video, which quickly went viral online, drawing millions of views.
Training in Action
Greaney delivered firm, controlled strikes between the baby’s shoulder blades. After several attempts, relief finally came in the form every first responder prays to hear: a cough.
“I didn’t see anything or feel anything come out, but she let out a cough, like she had the relief,” Greaney told reporters.¹
The baby then cried, signaling she was out of danger.
“She let out a little cry, which obviously we know that if you’re talking or crying, you’re not choking,” he added. “So that was a good sign.”¹
A medical professional driving by stopped to confirm the baby was breathing normally and unharmed.
As a father himself—of a 3-year-old and a 1-and-a-half-year-old—Greaney understood the terror the father must have felt.
“There are definitely all sorts of emotion, panic, shock, terrified and everything,” he said. “So I’m glad that I was able to relieve him of those emotions, and I’m happy that she’s gonna be here for Christmas.”¹
The relieved father thanked Greaney repeatedly before driving away with his daughter.
Experience Made the Difference
Greaney joined the NYPD in July 2008 and was promoted to Detective First Grade in October 2020.² Over 17 years, he’s served New Yorkers with distinction.
Asked about being called a hero, Greaney deflected the praise with characteristic humility.
“It’s definitely nice to hear, but I don’t consider myself a hero,” he said. “I think guys who get blown up in Afghanistan fighting for our country, those are the real heroes, those guys.”³
He credited the NYPD Police Academy for his calm under pressure.
“I went right back to what they told me years ago in the police academy,” Greaney explained. “Just, every second counts. You have to get it done as quickly as possible. And that’s all I was trying to do.”³
Before leaving, Greaney advised the father to watch a video on the Heimlich maneuver so he could be prepared if it ever happened again. Then, like any other workday, Greaney returned to his commute.
The father later contacted police to confirm that his daughter was healthy with no lasting effects.
Law Enforcement at Its Best
Detectives’ Endowment Association President Scott Munro praised Greaney’s actions in a statement highlighting what law enforcement is truly about.
“Detective Greaney’s split-second decision and calm under pressure truly embodies The Greatest Detectives in the World,” Munro said. “His quick action didn’t just save a life — it reminded all of us what heroism looks like on the streets of this city.”²
Seventeen years of training came down to those critical seconds on the highway. Because of Greaney’s readiness and the NYPD’s training, a baby girl will wake up this Christmas morning alive.
No speeches. No press conferences. Just a cop who did his job—saved a life, handed her back to her father, and drove to work.
