Nurse & Teacher Honored After Saving Choking Sixth Grader
One minute it was just another lunch period at North Stanly Middle School. Next, every sound in the cafeteria stopped. On August 29, a sixth-grade student stood up, clutching his throat, eyes wide, unable to breathe.
“He just looked a little nervous,” recalled Shawanna Long, a sixth-grade teacher. “His eyes were big. He was holding his throat and shaking his head, trying to cough whatever was in his throat up.” It took only seconds for Long to realize this was a true emergency.
Without hesitation, Long stepped behind the student and started the Heimlich maneuver. “I told him what I was going to do,” she said. “I gave him three thrusts and kept asking if he was still choking. When he was finally able to talk, I knew he was OK.”
The cafeteria erupted in relief as the student took a breath. Long let herself exhale too. “It just came natural,” she said later. “I’ve coached for years, I’m a CNA, and I always keep my certifications current.”
When School Nurse Holly Williams heard the call for help, she didn’t hesitate. “I grabbed my bag and took off running,” Williams said. “As soon as I got there, he was thankfully ok because of what Shawanna had done.”
Williams said “She was literally able to get behind him and in a matter of seconds save his life,” she said. “Knowing how to respond is what matters.”
Weeks later, the Stanly County Board of Education officially recognized Long and Williams for their quick action. Photos from the ceremony show the two side by side, smiling modestly.
Image Source: WSOC-TV
When asked how it felt to save a student, Long kept it simple: “It felt good because I would want somebody to do that for my kids.”
This story is more than a feel-good moment. It is proof that basic lifesaving skills save lives.
According to the American Red Cross, choking is one of the leading causes of accidental injury deaths among children, yet it is often preventable. The Heimlich maneuver, CPR, and basic first-aid techniques can double or triple a person’s chance of survival in emergencies.
Experts say every school, workplace, and household should have people trained in CPR and choking response. Quick thinking, steady hands, and even a few practiced moves can be the bridge between tragedy and triumph.
So whether you are a nurse, teacher, parent, or student, take the class, learn the steps, and keep those skills fresh. You never know whose life you might save next.
