'He's my hero': Cheektowaga man praises restaurant owner for saving his life

'He's my hero': Cheektowaga man praises restaurant owner for saving his life
After suffering a heart attack at the Olympic Restaurant in Cheektowaga, Mark McGill is praising the restaurant owner for saving his life and is urging everyone to get CPR certified.

"If he could do that for me I can do it for somebody else, it's very important people, you don't understand how fast you can be gone, and if this gentleman wasn't right here I wouldn't be talking to you right now," said McGill.

While at the restaurant last week McGill felt a sharp pain in his chest, he was having a heart attack and to his surprise, a stranger gave him CPR.

"I yelled at my wife I am in trouble and woke up to this man saving my life. George saved my life," said McGill.

McGill's hero was George Bechakas — the owner of the restaurant.

George was working in the back when his employees called for help.

"I came out and looked at the man and said I gotta help this guy," said Bechakas.

George started doing CPR until paramedics arrived.

"I stayed calm and started doing exactly the steps I was told and it worked," said Bechakas.

The McGills went to the restaurant for lunch and ended up with a new friend and a new mission.

"Teens need to be trained and they need to know that you can save your friend's life, you can save your parent's life," said McGills.