It was a routine lunch period on Sept. 25 at Irving Park Elementary School. Everything was business as usual until second-grader Karter Johnson quietly began to struggle for air after choking on a piece of his hamburger.
Fortunately for Karter, Tammy Cuthrell, an exceptional children teacher assistant, was walking by and immediately noticed his distress.
Without hesitation, Cuthrell sprang into action, administering the Heimlich maneuver, dislodging the piece of food and bringing Karter immediate relief.
“I didn’t even think about what I was doing,” Cuthrell said. “It just happened in the nick of time.”
Guilford County School officials said in a release that all GCS employees have emergency training to be prepared to act in situations just like the one Cuthrell encountered.
“While Ms. Cuthrell is known for her exceptional care of all the students she works with, Karter is not a student in her class. This act of vigilance and selfless service perfectly embodies the school’s theme for the year: Every Student Every Day,” GCS said in a release.
Irving Park Principal Kim Leighty said Cuthrell’s action was a reflection of the devotion staff at the school have for students.
“This moment epitomizes why our philosophy, ‘Every Student Every Day,’ is so important,” Leighty said. “You never know when a student will need your help, and Ms. Cuthrell’s quick, decisive action shows the extraordinary dedication of our staff to the well-being of every single child in this school.”
camdyn.bruce@greensboro.com
336-373-7094
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