US pupil praised for two heroic acts in one day
23 December 2021, 20:34
Davyon Johnson used the Heimlich manoeuvre on a classmate who was choking and later that day helped a woman escape from a burning house, a paper said.
A pupil from Oklahoma in the US has been honoured by law enforcement and school officials for his heroic actions not just once but twice in the same day.
Earlier this month, Davyon Johnson used the Heimlich manoeuvre on a classmate who was choking on a bottle cap at his school in Muskogee.
Later that same day, he helped a woman escape from a burning house, the Muskogee Phoenix reported.
Last week, Davyon was named an honorary member of the police and sheriff’s departments at the Muskogee Board of Education meeting, the newspaper reported.
“I felt good, excited,” Davyon said about the honour.
Principal Latricia Dawkins called the youngster a “dual hero” and said the recognition could not have happened to a better person.
“He is just a kind soul and well-liked by his peers and staff alike,” she said.
Ms Dawkins recalled the incident that earned Davyon the honour.
She said a student was trying to fill his water bottle and loosen the cap with his mouth when the cap slipped into his throat.
The choking student stumbled into a nearby classroom, where Davyon happened to be, Ms Dawkins said.
“Davyon immediately sprinted over and did the Heimlich manoeuvre,” she said.
“From the account of the witnesses, when he did it the bottle cap popped out.”
Davyon demonstrated how he got behind the choking student, wrapped his arms around the student and “burped him, kind of”.
He then helped a woman evacuate her burning house later that day.
“It was a disabled lady and she was walking out of her house,” Davyon said.
“She was on her porch. But I thought, being a good citizen, I would cross and help her get into her truck and leave.”
He said the back of the house was on fire, “but it eventually got to the front of the house”.
Davyon said he learned to do the Heimlich manoeuvre on YouTube and said it is a valuable procedure to learn.
“Just in case you’re in the situation I was in, you can know what to do,” he said.
Davyon’s mother, LaToya Johnson, said she was not surprised he behaved the way he did.
She said her brother, Wendell Johnson, is an emergency medical technician.
“I’m just a proud mom,” she said.
