Round Rock teacher praised a hero after saving student from choking
ROUND ROCK, Texas - A Round Rock teacher is praised a hero after saving her student from choking.
"It was a scary moment for all of those students," said Round Rock ISD substitute teacher Fereshteh Ghodsi.
Substitute teacher Fereshteh Ghodsi says she was assisting students in her fifth period English language arts class on August 31, when she noticed a student abruptly run over to the trash can.
"He went to the trash can and when he stands up, I saw his face that is red, and asked him ‘are you choking,’" Ghodsi said.
She says the eighth-grade student was unable to respond, and she quickly went to help him.
"The first thing is I ran toward him, and I hit on his back several times and I checked on him, it didn't work. I wrapped my arm around him, and I started to do this Heimlich maneuver, and I did it six or seven times," Ghodsi said.
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Ghodsi says it was her first time performing the Heimlich maneuver and only had training from a video.
"A small piece of an apple lodged out, and he could breathe at that time," said Ghodsi.
According to the Cedar Valley Middle School principal, first responders were called to the campus.
"Our nurse is of course involved in our emergency procedures and in this case, EMS was called, and they responded parents came and met with EMS as well," said Cedar Valley Middle School Principal Larissa Ortiz.
"I saw the mom that day, and you know we hugged each other. You know, as a mom I can say it was a scary moment, when you receive a call from the school that this happens, and the time she came, and she saw her son is OK. I’m happy I was there at that moment and helped him," said Ghodsi.
Ghodsi says the student thanked her for helping him, and it brought her to tears.
"She is a hero, you know when we talk about what the definition of a hero is, it is usually somebody that sees a need, they usually don't consider themselves a hero, because they are usually pretty humble, but Ms. Ghodsi saw a need she jumped in and took action," said Ortiz.
"Oh, hero, it's humbling but that thing that matters right now is that he is OK now. That is the only thing that I can think right now that I’m happy I was there and jumped into action and saved him," said Ghodsi.