Video: Teacher Aide Stops School Bus and Saves Boy Who Is Choking

A surveillance video shows a teacher’s aide saving a young boy who was choking on a school bus in Green Country, Oklahoma.
4/13/2016
Updated:
4/13/2016

A surveillance video shows a teacher’s aide saving a young boy on a school bus who was choking, in Green Country, Okla.

The footage shows the 5-year-old choking while teacher’s assistant, Ginger Maxville, was driving, according to CBS News.

Maxville said the boy’s sister told her, “I think he swallowed a coin.”

That’s when Maxville immediately stopped the bus and tried to help him.

“He was red and just gasping for air,” said Maxville to CBS about the boy, who attends Mannford Public School.

She performed the Heimlich maneuver, and after three pumps she heard the coin hit the floor. Maxville said it was the first time in 17 years that she used the maneuver that she learned during CPR training.  

“Don’t you do that again. You scared me to death. You hear me. Oh, thank the lord you are OK,” the video shows Maxville telling the boy after she had saved him.

She then gave him a hug and dried his tears.

While many see Maxville as a hero, she says keeping children safe is part of the job.

“I feel I don’t deserve a lot of credit,” said Maxville. “It was just god working through me and I’m just glad we got it.”

Maxville said the boy asked to keep the penny—which she gave back after he promised not to swallow coins again.

Learn how to perform the Heimlich Maneuver: