Grade 6 student saves choking classmate
A lesson learned at school saved a life Thursday.
“This could have ended really badly,” said Mary Elizabeth Rousseau, a Grade 6 teacher at École Ste-Thérèse.
Her student, Tony Elsoury, was choking on his pasta during lunch hour.
“So I get up to ask the teacher if I can use the bathroom, and before I even found the teacher, I found I couldn't breathe,” said Elsoury.
After a few futile attempts to swallow, panic started to set in.
“I ran into the class because I remembered that our teacher taught us first aid, so we should know this,” he explained.
Elsoury turned around and gestured to the seven others in the classroom at the time.
“We didn't know if he was really choking or just joking around but we realized he was choking when his face started turning red and there was spit coming down his mouth,” said classmate Zane Bassam, who jumped into action.
“My friend (Zane) told me to go run and get a teacher, so immediately went to go run and get a teacher,” said classmate Dominic Vitale.
Bassam took it upon himself to help his friend by performing first aid.
“I kind of panicked, but I just rushed straight ahead because I didn't want it to get any worse, so first I started by doing five back blows,” Bassam explained.
When that didn’t work, he turned to the Heimlich Maneuver.
“It was successful and then he started throwing up,” said Bassam.
Elsoury was fine and went home for the rest of the day, thankful his teacher Mme. Rousseau taught the class first aid.
“I feel like if she didn't teach us, this I could have been a lot worse,” Elsoury said.
When she arrived, relief and pride overwhelmed Mme. Rousseau, “Incredibly happy Tony was okay, but also incredibly proud of my students for jumping into action, for putting into place the training they had learned.”
Mme. Rousseau is certified through the Red Cross babysitting program and taught her Grade 6s, “So that they can be confident and competent with basic first aid and know what to do in a situation like this.”
Olivia Drouillard, an instructor at Second Chance CPR, advises calling 911 and making some noise if you find yourself alone in a choking situation. Unlock your door or go outside where others may be able to help.
She said some other things could help as well, “You're either going to fall on the top of a table, on a chair, or use an inanimate object like a water bottle and perform self-performed j-thrusts.”
For his heroic gesture, Bassam has been nominated for a Red Cross Rescuers Award.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Duchene scores winner in 2nd OT, Stars reach conference final with 2-1 win over Avs
Matt Duchene scored at 11:42 of the second overtime after being involved in a play that led to a goal disallowed for goaltender interference in the first extra period, and the Dallas Stars advanced to the Western Conference final with a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 6 on Friday night.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta boundary: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Jesus is their saviour, Trump is their candidate. Ex-president's backers say he shares faith, values
As Donald Trump increasingly infuses his campaign with Christian trappings while coasting to a third Republican presidential nomination, his support is as strong as ever among evangelicals and other conservative Christians.
Feds refuse Toronto's request to decriminalize simple drug possession
The federal government has denied Toronto's request to decriminalize simple possession of small amounts of drugs for personal use.
Yemen's Houthi rebels launch a missile that strikes an oil tanker in the Red Sea, U.S. military says
Yemen's Houthi rebels hit an oil tanker in the Red Sea with a ballistic missile early Saturday, damaging the Panama-flagged, Greek-owned vessel in their latest assault over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, officials said.
Alberta Medical Association sounds alarm over lack of available oncologists
The Alberta Medical Association is expressing deep concerns to the provincial government over a lack of oncologists needed to provide cancer care to keep up with population growth.