Mizzou Fan Credited With Saving Life of ESPN Radio Host

Peter Burns credits Mizzou Fan for saving his life

Choking on a piece of food for several minutes at a Columbia, Missouri, restaurant, ESPN host Peter Burns saw his life flash before his eyes. “It’s at that moment, man, that I realize I don’t know if I’m going to live,” Burns, an SEC Network anchor and national radio host for ESPN Radio, said on his show Monday, Sept. 16.

Finally, a University of Missouri fan stepped in, rescuing the TV personality and giving him a new appreciation for life, according to kansascity.com.

Burns was at Bud’s Classic BBQ in Columbia on Friday, Sept. 13, ahead of ESPN’s coverage of the University of Missouri’s football game against Boston College. He said he swallowed a piece of steak and quickly realized “something’s not right.”

A member of his dining party tried applying the Heimlich maneuver to Burns, as did the owner of the restaurant. Neither were successful. About a minute-and-a-half into the situation, a nurse was called over to help. He, too, could not dislodge the piece of food, Burns said. “Two minutes into this, I started really getting blurry eyed and started blacking out,” Burns said.

Quick thread:

This man saved my life on Friday night in Columbia, Missouri

Mr. Jack Foster, a @MizzouFootball fan

While at dinner w/ our SEC Network crew, I began to choke on a piece of food.

Immediately I knew it was serious and motioned to our table that I couldn’t breathe pic.twitter.com/ylwKB7YSJy

— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) September 16, 2024

Jack Foster, a Mizzou football fan who was at the restaurant with his family, gave it the last try. He proved to be just the person to save Burns, as he recently went through CPR certification and how to save someone from choking. 

Foster — the fourth person to attempt to save Burns — was finally able to dislodge the food “right as I was about to lose consciousness,” the ESPN host said on X, formerly Twitter. “That training is why I am here right now,” Burns said on X. “I’m thankful for him and all involved that helped saved my life that night.”

Burns was emotional on his ESPN show as he thanked Foster. After the Friday ordeal, he said he was treated by Mizzou’s football trainers. “I have four cracked ribs right now, but I’ve never been so happy,” he said.