News
Food service worker snaps into "mom mode," saves student
April 29, 2010
Sarah Darconte learned how to do the
Heimlich Maneuver 15 years ago, when she worked as a candy striper in high
school. Since that time, she had never used it -- that is until
Monday, when a Mohonasen High School student started choking during
lunch.
"He tapped me on the shoulder and it was quite obvious he was choking," said Darconte, who has worked in the district's food service department for the last two years.
With little thought, she said she snapped into "mom mode," taking off the student's backpack and performing the Heimlich Maneuver. As a result, the breadstick the student was choking on quickly came up, allowing him to breath freely.
"You see a child in trouble, you go to help him," she said. "That's somebody's baby. I did my job and saved somebody's kid."
After the student stopped choking, Darconte said he went to the nurse's office and she continued cashing students out in the lunch line. She was a little shaky, she said, but wanted to get back to doing her job.
"We're all really proud of Sarah," Food Service Director Kim Gagnon said. "She was able to act quickly and because of that she may of saved this student's life. She really is a hero."
According to high school Principal David Collins, the student -- a high school freshman -- is doing just fine since the incident. Darconte said he came to her the next day to say thank you and tell her, "my mom's grateful."
