A Volusia County school bus driver is being hailed a hero after helping a young boy that was choking on a piece of candy while on the bus, reported Fox 35.
The school bus driver, identified as Mayrelyn Lopez, said there was a disturbance in the back of the bus shortly after arriving at her first afternoon stop. The disruption, which was unrelated to the choking incident was quickly resolved.
However, as Lopez made her way back to her driver’s seat, she noticed a boy turning light purple. The boy, identified as Levi Holder, had reportedly just eaten a piece of candy, and it got stuck in his throat.
Lopez told local news reporters that she grabbed Holder and performed the Heimlich Maneuver, which is a first aid technique school bus drivers are trained on to dislodge a blockage in the airway. The action cleared the candy from Holder’s throat. Surveillance footage shows Lopez springing into action to help the student.
According to the article, Holder fully recovered and told local news reporters that Lopez was very nice and thanked her for saving his life. Additionally, Holder’s mother expressed gratitude for Lopez’s willingness and her attentiveness in the situation.
The surveillance video is not being shared with the public due to privacy concerns. Most school districts have no eating policies on board the school bus for this very reason.
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