Burleson, Texas – A North Texas Kroger employee saved a colleague’s life on his first day of work.

Assistant Store Manager Shane Condon recently moved to the Burleson store on Willshire Boulevard after 13 years with the Colorado company.

As he was touring the store on his first day, he heard a commotion coming from another aisle.

He immediately went to see what was going on and noticed Ray Choate, a store employee, lying on the ground, struggling to breathe.

Condon immediately intervened and began CPR while first responders were on the way.

“I noticed he wasn’t breathing and the operator helped me a lot. She explained to me what to do and I just tried to do my best and do what anyone would have wanted to do for me,” he said.

First responders told Condon that Choate would not have survived without him.

Condon said he has thought about his colleague every day since then.

“I’m really looking forward to giving him his hat back, you know. I’ve been keeping it. It’s upstairs in my desk. I look at it every day and think about him every day. So I’m looking forward to officially meeting him,” he said.

Choate had to be hospitalized for five days because his heart stopped.

“I don’t remember anything except falling. Well, I don’t even remember falling. I remember being in the hospital and that was it,” Choate said.

On Wednesday, the two men met officially for the first time. Kroger also presented Condon with an award for saving his life for his incredible act.

“It’s a humbling feeling. I’m so grateful and everyone around me has been so supportive. But it’s also nothing to brag about,” he said.

Condon recommends that everyone take a CPR course because you never know when you might need it.