A school bus driver in Gainesville, Florida, located north of Orlando, performed CPR on an elementary student onboard her bus after he was found choking on a piece of candy, ultimately saving his life, WCJB 20 reported.
The driver, who has been identified as Tanya Rivenburg, was driving her morning bus route when she heard a student yell out that another child was choking. The seven-year-old boy was reportedly choking on a piece of candy and had turned blue from lack of oxygen.
Rivenburg, who has been a school bus driver for four years, told WCJB 20 the child wasn’t breathing, and that she attempted to restore his breathing multiple times before she was successful. Although she was shaken by the incident, she said she is grateful for the CPR training she received through the Levy County School District.
“You never know how you are going to react until you’re in that situation. We see it, we learn it, but until you’re there …it’s really hard,” Rivenburg said “All I could say is ‘this is not happening … not here. This is not happening.’ I was going to get that child breathing again one way or another.”
Rivenburg received the Levy County School Board “Impact Award” following her quick-thinking actions.
“I’m not surprised that Mrs. Rivenburg acted in that matter. She really cares about her students. She is involved in our training program and she does a really good job,” said Joseph Wain, coordinator of transportation for Levy County Schools.
Rivenburg told WCJB 20 she’s grateful that the student is safe and was able to return to school.
